2.6 Data analysis
We divided patients between those with LVZs >1.0 cm2 on the anterior LA wall at LA-ascending aorta contact areas (LVZ Group)6 and those without such LVZs (No LVZ Group). We then compared the following variables between the 2 groups: patients’ clinical characteristics, including age, sex, body weight (BW), body mass index (BMI), type of AF (paroxysmal vs. persistent), comorbidities, CHADS2 score, antiarrhythmic drugs used, serum creatinine, NT-proBNP concentrations, post-ablation AF recurrence, echocardiographic variables; LA pressure; and electrophysiologic variables, including the number of voltage mapping points, size (area) of LVZs at LA-ascending aorta contact areas; and CT-based measurements:, including the aorta-LA angle, aorta-LV angle, NCC diameter, LCC diameter, RCC diameter, NCC-LA distance, and LCC-LA distance.