Prevention to Improve Outcomes After PVI
Atrial FibrillationRisk Reduction1 moreAtrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia and has a rising prevalence due to an aging population. AF increases the patient's risk of hospitalization, heart failure and stroke and results into deterioration of quality of life. Treatment of symptomatic AF consists of either antiarrhythmic medication or a pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) catheter ablation. However, lots of patients experience recurrence of AF in the first year after PVI. Previous studies showed that PVI outcomes depend on the presence of different treatable risk factors that influence the substrate for AF. Those risk factors include obesity, hypertension, cholesterol, diabetes mellitus, alcohol use, smoking and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. However, research into the effect of treatment of those risk factors mainly consists of observational studies. Currently, it is not clear to what extent patients will benefit from comprehensive risk factor treatment prior to PVI in terms of ablation success and quality of life. The aim of the current randomized controlled trial is to determine the effect of a nurse-led, technology-supported, personalized care pathway on hospital admissions for cardioversions and re-ablation in patients with AF that are referred for ablation. Patients included in this study will be randomized to either the intervention group receiving the comprehensive risk treatment before PVI or the control group receiving standard usual care. Patients in the intervention group will visit the specialized AF nurse outpatient clinic and receive a personalized treatment plan (with a maximal duration of 6 months) including lifestyle interventions and medication. This includes sleep apnea screening with a Home Sleep Apnea Test (WatchPAT). Patients will also use the VitalHealth Engage platform. The digital platform can be used at home to report AF complaints, send home measurement and complete questionnaires. Furthermore, it supports the nurse in administering effective lifestyle changes by offering the patient personalized content and education. Both study groups will be followed up to 12 months after ablation, during which hospital admissions for cardioversion and re-ablation are evaluated. At baseline, AFEQT, EQ5D and TBQ quality of life questionnaires will be performed. The questionnaires will be repeated prior to ablation, at 3 and 12 months after ablation. At baseline, pre-ablation and after 12 months laboratory tests (such as cholesterol) will be performed to evaluate adherence to lifestyle interventions.
Effects of Detraining in Endurance Athletes With Atrial Fibrillation
Atrial FibrillationAtrial fibrillation (AF) affects more than 43 million people worldwide, but specific exercise recommendations do not exist for this group of patients. Despite a lack of evidence, athletes are often advised to reduce exercise intensity (detraining) after being diagnosed with AF. This randomized controlled trial will be the first study that investigates effects of detraining in endurance athletes. Participants will be randomized to an intervention group that will be instructed to refrain from high intensity exercise, and a control group. The study aims to clarify whether detraining might reduce the burden of AF and has the potential to guide development of exercise guidelines for AF patients.
Radial Ablation for the Control of Persistent Atrial Fibrillation
Persistent Atrial FibrillationThe protocol aims to evaluate the efficacy of the radial ablation technique of the maintenance mechanisms in persistent atrial fibrillation compared to the isolation of the pulmonary veins evaluating the atrial fibrillation burden during one year follow-up.
Insertable Cardiac Monitor-Guided Early Intervention to Reduce Atrial Fibrillation Burden Following...
Atrial FibrillationCardiovascular Diseases4 moreTo prospectively investigate the efficacy of an insertable cardiac monitor-guided atrial fibrillation (AF) management in reducing subsequent AF burden in patients with persistent or paroxysmal AF undergoing atrial catheter ablation (CA).
Added Value of Vein of Marshal Ethanol Infusion Compared to Superior Vena Cava Isolation Alone in...
Paroxysmal Atrial FibrillationThe superior vena cava (SVC) is one of the most common non pulmonary vein (PV)-triggers for atrial tachyarrhythmias. SVC electrical isolation can be reached by circular radiofrequency (RF)-ablation under close monitoring of the phrenic nerve. However, adding substrate modification and vein of Marshal (VoM) ethanol infusion to the ablation procedure might substantially improve long-term outcomes. The aim of this study is to evaluate the recurrence rate 1 year after the index ablation in patients undergoing a redo ablation for recurrent paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) despite durable pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) with either SVC isolation alone or with substrate modification including vein of Marshal ethanolisation in addition to SVC isolation alone
Left Atrium Reservoir Function Modulation in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation: Digoxin Versus Beta...
Atrial FibrillationLeft Atrial Rhythmß blocker and digoxin effect on left atrium reservoir function are unknown. This is a randomized open label study to compare the effect of theses two molecules on left atrium function
Prevention Atrial Fibrillation by BOTulinum Toxin Injections (BOTAF)
Cardiac SurgeryOver the past few years, research has focused on the prevention of atrial fibrillation (AF) after cardiac surgery, but highly effective interventions are still missing. Postoperative AF remains the most common complication after cardiac surgery, with an incidence of 10 to 50%. This complication is usually a transient condition that resolves spontaneously but it has major adverse consequences for patients and the health care system, including increased rates of death, complications (strokes), and hospitalisations with inflated costs. Recently, animal studies have demonstrated that neurotoxins such as botulinum toxin (BTX) injected into fat pads could suppress AF inducibility by parasympathetic activation. Botulinum toxin injection in fat pads has been studied in the dog's heart and could be associated with the reduction of atrial fibrillation in postoperative cardiac surgery. One pilot study has demonstrated the feasibility and safety of this technique in the human heart. The investigators hypothesize that botulinum toxin injection may substantially reduce postoperative AF during the first postoperative month after cardiac surgery without any serious adverse events. By the suppression of ganglionic plexi (GP) activity in the epicardial fat pads, mild term antiarrhythmic effects can be achieved with fewer antiarrhythmic drugs and anticoagulant treatment.
Substrate abLatIon as Concomitant trEatment for Left Atrial Macroreentrant Tachycardia
Atrial FibrillationSLICE-LAMRT is a multicenter, prospective, randomized, double-blind trial that will be carried out in patients older than 18 years with atypical flutter suspected to be of left atrial origin. The aim of this trial is to evaluate the safety and superiority of a substrate-guided ablation procedure vs the conventional strategy guided by electrical activity. The composite primary endpoint is time to first episode of sustained atrial arrhythmia in the absence of pharmacological antiarrhythmic treatment or new ablation.
Biomarker-Guided Optimization of Transcutaneous Vagal Stimulation for Atrial (BiG tVNS-AF)
Paroxysmal Atrial FibrillationThis proposal aims to determine the effects of tVNS on autonomic tone, atrial substrate and neuromodulators in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF), investigate the chronic effects of optimal tVNS on AF burden in patients with paroxysmal AF over a 6-month period, compared with sham stimulation, and identify physiological and biochemical markers of response to chronic tVNS.
Lenient Rate Control Versus Strict Rate Control for Atrial Fibrillation. The Danish Atrial Fibrillation...
Atrial FibrillationPersistent2 moreAtrial fibrillation is the most common heart arrhythmia with a prevalence of approximately 2% in the western world. Atrial fibrillation is associated with an increased risk of death and morbidity. The comparable effects of a lenient rate control strategy and a strict rate control strategy in patients with atrial fibrillation are uncertain and only one trial has assessed this previously in patients with permanent atrial fibrillation. The investigators will therefore undertake a randomised, superiority trial at four hospitals in Denmark.