**5. Conclusion**

Patients with paroxysmal AF who underwent PVI alone had a good prognosis, suggesting that ablation is an established treatment for paroxysmal AF. However, PVI alone for persistent AF may not prevent AF recurrence; thus, additional ablation approaches combined with PVI have been developed. No current procedure clearly shows a preventive effect on AF recurrence; therefore, this issue remains controversial. To improve treatment outcomes of the ablation of persistent AF, it is necessary to identify patients who are most likely to experience the maximum therapeutic effect. Therefore, AF duration and DFT and left atrial volume could be indicators. Future large-scale studies are necessary.
