Study population
Consecutive LSPAF patients referred to our centre for RF point-by-point catheter ablation were prospectively enrolled. The patients with a history of AF ablation procedure, any cardiac surgery, severe valvular disease, previous myocarditis or pericarditis, known or suspected pulmonary hypertension, atrial septal defect and those who were not able to maintain sinus rhythm during LA mapping were excluded. All patients underwent an electrophysiological study and ablation under the approval of a local institutional committee on human research after providing written informed consent.