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Effect of the Autonomic Nervous System on the Outcomes of PULSEd Field Ablation to Treat Atrial Fibrillation
Sponsor: Hospital General Universitario de Alicante
Summary
Pulmonary vein (PV) isolation is considered the therapeutic strategy of choice to maintain sinus rhythm (SR) in symptomatic patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). The most commonly used energy modality is radiofrequency (RF). However, this type of energy presents notable challenges, such as its lack of selectivity for myocardial tissue, which increases the risk of serious complications such as atrioesophageal fistula, PV stenosis, and vagus nerve injuries. In this context, PV isolation using pulsed field ablation (PFA) emerges as a promising alternative due to its greater myocardial selectivity. However, this selectivity presents additional challenges. Preliminary studies indicate that PFA may not damage the autonomic nervous system (ANS) involved in the initiation and maintenance of AF in certain patients, although stronger evidence is needed to support this claim. The investigators propose to carry out a single-center clinical trial, although with the possibility in the future of including other centers. Patients will be randomized to three research groups: PV isolation with RF, PV isolation with PFA, and PV isolation combining PFA and RF (using RF on the anterior wall and PFA on the posterior wall). This assignment will be open to the operator who performs the procedure, but blind for the researcher responsible for monitoring and for the data analyst. The objective is to compare the impact of different energy sources during PV isolation on the ability to produce a permanent alteration in the ANS. The hypothesis is that combined PF isolation will be capable of producing a permanent alteration of autonomic function parameters superior to ablation using exclusive PFA.
Official title: Effect of the Autonomic Nervous System on the Outcomes of PULSEd Field Ablation to Treat Atrial Fibrillation (EASy-PULSE AF)
Key Details
Gender
All
Age Range
18 Years - Any
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment
156
Start Date
2024-06
Completion Date
2026-06
Last Updated
2024-04-08
Healthy Volunteers
No
Conditions
Interventions
Pulmonary vein isolation exclusively with radiofrequency
The QDOT (Biosense Webster, Inc.) or TactiFlex (Abbott S.E.) catheters will be used. The ablation will be controlled by temperature, with a limit of 42ºC and a power target of 30-40W. A high-power strategy (90 W/4 seconds) can be used on the posterior wall when the QDOT catheter is used.
Pulmonary vein isolation exclusively with pulsed field ablation
The Sphere-9 catheter will be used (with biphasic and unipolar wave), with a duration per application of 5 seconds and a separation between lesions of 5-6mm. The target temperature increase will be at least 1.5ºC above the patient's basal temperature to mark the ablation as effective.
Combined pulmonary vein isolation
The Sphere-9 catheter will be used for both radiofrequency and pulsed field ablation. When using radiofrequency, the ablation will be temperature controlled, with a target temperature of 73ºC. The duration per application will be 5 seconds. Catheter irrigation during ablation will be 30ml/min, with a maximum current intensity of 3700mA, and a maximum current density of 13.6mA/mm2. The separation between lesions will be 7-8mm. Regarding pulsed field ablation, the characteristics will be those indicated in "Pulmonary vein isolation exclusively with pulsed field ablation" group.
Locations (1)
Laura García Cano
Alicante, Spain