Patient population
A total of 31 consecutive persistent AF patients with patchy LGE site
were enrolled in this study (PLS group). The chronic kidney disease
patients were excluded from this study, because no LGE-MRI could be
performed before ablation. As a control group, propensity matched 62
patients with or without the patchy LGE site were selected from Kobe
University AF registry including a total 241 persistent AF patients who
underwent conventional catheter ablation (31 in the control group with
the patchy LGE site, 31 in the control group without the patchy LGE
site). The study design and flowchart were shown in Figure 1. The study
was approved by the local ethics committee and complied with the
Declaration of Helsinki (Committee of 2020.7.21., Approval No. B200121).