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Nair GM, Birnie DH, Wells GA, Nery PB, Redpath CJ, Sarrazin JF, Roux JF, Parkash R, Bernier M, Sterns LD, Novak P, Veenhuyzen G, Morillo CA, Singh SM, Sturmer M, Chauhan VS, Angaran P, Essebag V. Augmented wide area circumferential catheter ablation for reduction of atrial fibrillation recurrence (AWARE) trial: Design and rationale. Am Heart J 2022; 248:1-12. [PMID: 35219715 DOI: 10.1016/j.ahj.2022.02.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Revised: 02/03/2022] [Accepted: 02/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF) after a pulmonary vein isolation procedure is often due to electrical reconnection of the pulmonary veins. Repeat ablation procedures may improve freedom from AF but are associated with increased risks and health care costs. A novel ablation strategy in which patients receive "augmented" ablation lesions has the potential to reduce the risk of AF recurrence. OBJECTIVE The Augmented Wide Area Circumferential Catheter Ablation for Reduction of Atrial Fibrillation Recurrence (AWARE) Trial was designed to evaluate whether an augmented wide-area circumferential antral (WACA) ablation strategy will result in fewer atrial arrhythmia recurrences in patients with symptomatic paroxysmal AF, compared with a conventional WACA strategy. METHODS/DESIGN The AWARE trial was a multicenter, prospective, randomized, open, blinded endpoint trial that has completed recruitment (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02150902). Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to either the control arm (single WACAlesion set) or the interventional arm (augmented- double WACA lesion set performed after the initial WACA). The primary outcome was atrial tachyarrhythmia (AA; atrial tachycardia [AT], atrial flutter [AFl] or AF) recurrence between days 91 and 365 post catheter ablation. Patient follow-up included 14-day continuous ambulatory ECG monitoring at 3, 6, and 12 months after catheter ablation. Three questionnaires were administered during the trial- the EuroQuol-5D (EQ-5D) quality of life scale, the Canadian Cardiovascular Society Severity of Atrial Fibrillation scale, and a patient satisfaction scale. DISCUSSION The AWARE trial was designed to evaluate whether a novel approach to catheter ablation reduced the risk of AA recurrence in patients with symptomatic paroxysmal AF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Girish M Nair
- University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Canada
| | | | | | - Pablo B Nery
- University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ottawa, Canada
| | | | | | | | - Ratika Parkash
- Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Martin Bernier
- McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Laurence D Sterns
- Victoria Cardiac Arrhythmia Trials, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Paul Novak
- Victoria Cardiac Arrhythmia Trials, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
| | - George Veenhuyzen
- Libin Cardiovascular Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Carlos A Morillo
- Libin Cardiovascular Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | | | - Marcio Sturmer
- Hôpital Sacré-Cœur de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Vijay S Chauhan
- University Health Network, Toronto General Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Paul Angaran
- St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Vidal Essebag
- McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Hôpital Sacré-Cœur de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
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Trenkwalder T, Grebmer C, Tydecks M, Blažek P, Kottmaier M, Weigand S, Bourier F, Reents T, Reinhard W, Lennerz C, Hessling G, Deisenhofer I, Kolb C. Role of the Ambulatory Assessed Apnea-Hypopnea Index for Predicting Recurring Atrial Fibrillation After Ablation Therapy. Am J Cardiol 2021; 149:36-41. [PMID: 33753038 DOI: 10.1016/j.amjcard.2021.03.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2020] [Revised: 03/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Catheter ablation is an effective treatment for atrial fibrillation (AF). Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a known risk factor for recurrent AF. The apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) is a measurement tool to screen patients for OSA. We sought to evaluate if the ambulatory assessed AHI is associated with AF recurrence following AF catheter ablation. 187 patients with paroxysmal (n = 155) or early persistent (n = 32) AF presenting for catheter ablation were included in the study. AHI was determined prior to ablation using an ambulatory screening device. All patients underwent pulmonary vein isolation (PVI). In patients with early persistent AF (17%) additional ablation of complex fractionated atrial electrograms (CFAE) was performed. Clinical follow-up was available after 3 and 12 months including 7-day Holter-ECG. All 187 patients (60.3 ± 11.4 years, 64.2% male) completed the 3 months follow-up and 170 patients the 12 months follow-up. A pathological AHI ≥15 was found in 45/187 (24.1%) patients. Additional CFAE did not differ between patients with an AHI ≥15 and AHI <15 (p = 0.663). After 3 months, 12/41 (29.3%) patients with AHI ≥15 showed recurrent AF compared to 24/146 (16.4%) patients with AHI <15 (p = 0.066). After 12 months, AHI ≥15 was associated with a significant higher rate of AF recurrence of 47.4% (18/38) versus 26.5% (35/132) in patients with AHI <15 (p = 0.014). In the logistic regression analysis AHI ≥15 was an independent predictor of recurrent AF at 12 months (p = 0.011). In conclusion, ambulatory assessed AHI ≥15 is associated with increased risk for AF recurrence following catheter ablation. OSA screening should be performed in AF patients as it might influence catheter ablation success.
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Linz D, Kadhim K, Lau D, Sanders P. Recovery of adenosine-sensitive dormant conduction is but one mechanism of pulmonary vein reconnection. Indian Pacing Electrophysiol J 2018; 18:201-202. [PMID: 30472987 PMCID: PMC6303175 DOI: 10.1016/j.ipej.2018.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2018] [Accepted: 10/23/2018] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Dominik Linz
- Centre for Heart Rhythm Disorders, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), University of Adelaide and Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, Australia.
| | - Kadhim Kadhim
- Centre for Heart Rhythm Disorders, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), University of Adelaide and Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Dennis Lau
- Centre for Heart Rhythm Disorders, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), University of Adelaide and Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Prashanthan Sanders
- Centre for Heart Rhythm Disorders, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), University of Adelaide and Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, Australia
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