Prospective Elimination Of Distal Coronary Sinus-Left Atrial Connections for Atrial Fibrillation Ablation Trial (PRECAF)

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia affecting millions of people in the US and around the world. Over the last 20 years, catheter based AF ablation has been widely adopted offering improved symptom control for many patients worldwide. However, long-term success rates remain suboptimal. Prior work indicates that distal connections between coronary sinus musculature and the left atrium exist and provide a substrate for single or multiple reentry beats as a trigger for atrial fibrillation. In this trial, the investigators will examine the efficacy of elimination of distal connection(s) between coronary sinus and left atrial musculature for suppression of recurrent atrial arrhythmias.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Atrial Fibrillation; Arrhythmias, Cardiac
• Intervention / Treatment: Procedure: Standard Atrial fibrillation ablation; Procedure: Coronary sinus to left atrium connection elimination

Detailed Description

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia affecting millions of people in the US and around the world. Over the last 20 years, catheter based AF ablation has been widely adopted. However, long-term success rates fhave been reported to be as low as 50% and 20% for paroxysmal and persistent AF, respectively. To achieve permanent arrhythmia suppression, repeated ablation procedures are often needed. Prior work indicates that distal connections between coronary sinus musculature and the left atrium provide a substrate for single or multiple reentry beats as a trigger for atrial fibrillation. In this prospective randomized trial the investigators will define the efficacy of elimination of distal connections between coronary sinus and left atrial musculature for suppression of recurrent atrial arrhythmias. Patients will be randomly assigned to standard of care ablation (pulmonary vein isolation and non pulmonary vein trigger ablations) alone, or standard of care ablation augmented by distal coronary sinus to left atrial connection elimination.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 35
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Pennsylvania
    • Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, 19104
      • Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients with paroxysmal or persistent atrial fibrillation; AND Undergoing first AF ablation; AND Age ≥ 18 years.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Previous left atrial ablation; Women currently pregnant; Mental or physical inability to take part in the study; Known terminally ill patients.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Double

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: PVI, non-PV triggers; Interventions: Atrial fibrillation ablation, including conventional pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) and non-PV triggers ablation.	Procedure: Standard Atrial fibrillation ablation; The AF ablation procedures should follow the sequence below: Diagnostic catheter placement Electrophysiology study; Transseptal puncture; Left atrial electro-anatomical mapping is required prior to an ablation procedure. Post ablation pacing procedure(s) and/or infusion of cardiac medications to localize triggers/ assess and localize pulmonary vein reconnections (e.g., Adenosine, Isoproterenol 2-20 mcg/min). Study procedure requirements are outlined below: Isolation of all pulmonary veins and Non-pulmonary vein trigger ablation for all patients. Linear ablation lines are only required to treat documented macro-reentry atrial tachycardias and limited to the following targets only: LA roof line, mitral valve isthmus line, LA floor line, right atrial carvotricuspid isthmus linear ablation.; Other Names: Pulmonary vein isolation; Non-PV triggers ablation
Active Comparator: PVI, non-PV triggers & CS-LA connection; Interventions: Atrial fibrillation ablation, including conventional pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) and non-PV triggers ablation in addition to coronary sinus-left atrium connection elimination. Distal coronary sinus pacing will be utilized to localize the earliest connection (aside from septal) from the coronary sinus to the left atrial musculature. Once localized, focal radiofrequency lesions will be applied at the discretion of the investigator until distal coronary sinus to left atrial connections are eliminated.	Procedure: Standard Atrial fibrillation ablation; The AF ablation procedures should follow the sequence below: Diagnostic catheter placement Electrophysiology study; Transseptal puncture; Left atrial electro-anatomical mapping is required prior to an ablation procedure. Post ablation pacing procedure(s) and/or infusion of cardiac medications to localize triggers/ assess and localize pulmonary vein reconnections (e.g., Adenosine, Isoproterenol 2-20 mcg/min). Study procedure requirements are outlined below: Isolation of all pulmonary veins and Non-pulmonary vein trigger ablation for all patients. Linear ablation lines are only required to treat documented macro-reentry atrial tachycardias and limited to the following targets only: LA roof line, mitral valve isthmus line, LA floor line, right atrial carvotricuspid isthmus linear ablation.; Other Names: Pulmonary vein isolation; Non-PV triggers ablation; Procedure: Coronary sinus to left atrium connection elimination; Distal coronary sinus pacing will be utilized to localize distal connections between the main coronary sinus body and the left atrium. Focal lesions will be applied to early left atrial activation sites, until no distal coronary sinus to left atrial connections are electrically manifest. If vein of marshall connections to the left atrium are present, differential pacing will be utilized to prove the lack of distal coronary sinus to left atrium connections.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Recurrence Rate of Atrial Arrhythmias	The primary endpoint of the study is recurrence rate of atrial arrhythmia following ablation. The primary endpoint will be assessed using survival statistical models measuring time to failure among the two study arms. Failure is defined as a non-self-terminating bout of atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, or atrial tachycardia >30 seconds in duration following the 90-day post-ablation blanking period. If no AF occurs during the study period, censoring will occur at 180±45 days post-ablation.	Time to atrial arrhythmia recurrence will be recorded as time to the first ECG or monitor that shows atrial arrhythmia recurrence between the end of the blanking period (90 days post ablation) and the end of the study (180±45 days post ablation).

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Atrial fibrillation burden	AF burden will be compared among study groups as a secondary outcome variable. AF burden will be measured from the 30 day monitors.	Follow-up 6 months after ablation. A 30-day event monitor will be used for the 1st and 6th month after ablation to detect the burden of atrial arrhythmias.

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Pennsylvania
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Saman Nazarian, M.D., Ph.D, University of Pennsylvania

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Kim MH, Lin J, Kreilick C, Foltz Boklage SH. Total costs and atrial fibrillation ablation success or failure in Medicare-aged patients in the United States. Adv Ther. 2010 Sep;27(9):600-12. doi: 10.1007/s12325-010-0060-3. Epub 2010 Aug 9.
• Chauvin M, Shah DC, Haissaguerre M, Marcellin L, Brechenmacher C. The anatomic basis of connections between the coronary sinus musculature and the left atrium in humans. Circulation. 2000 Feb 15;101(6):647-52. doi: 10.1161/01.cir.101.6.647.
• Antz M, Otomo K, Arruda M, Scherlag BJ, Pitha J, Tondo C, Lazzara R, Jackman WM. Electrical conduction between the right atrium and the left atrium via the musculature of the coronary sinus. Circulation. 1998 Oct 27;98(17):1790-5. doi: 10.1161/01.cir.98.17.1790.
• Kuo L, Frankel DS, Lin A, Arkles J, Hyman M, Santangeli P, Marchlinski FE, Nazarian S. PRECAF Randomized Controlled Trial. Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol. 2021 Jan;14(1):e008993. doi: 10.1161/CIRCEP.120.008993. Epub 2020 Dec 10.
• Huang D, Marine JE, Li JB, Zghaib T, Ipek EG, Sinha S, Spragg DD, Ashikaga H, Berger RD, Calkins H, Nazarian S. Association of Rate-Dependent Conduction Block Between Eccentric Coronary Sinus to Left Atrial Connections With Inducible Atrial Fibrillation and Flutter. Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol. 2017 Jan;10(1):e004637. doi: 10.1161/CIRCEP.116.004637. Erratum In: Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol. 2017 Feb;10(2):e000022. doi: 10.1161/HAE.0000000000000022.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): August 18, 2018
• Primary Completion (Actual): November 20, 2019
• Study Completion (Actual): September 22, 2021

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: August 6, 2018
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 22, 2018
• First Posted (Actual): August 24, 2018

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): November 29, 2024
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 14, 2024
• Last Verified: October 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Atrial fibrillation; Ablation; Coronary sinus-left atrium connection
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Cardiovascular Diseases; Pathologic Processes; Heart Diseases; Atrial Fibrillation; Arrhythmias, Cardiac
• Other Study ID Numbers: 829990

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: YES

IPD Plan Description

Information about study subjects will be kept confidential and managed according to the requirements of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). Those regulations require a signed subject authorization informing the subject of the following:

• What protected health information (PHI) will be collected from subjects in this study
• Who will have access to that information and why
• Who will use or disclose that information
• The rights of a research subject to revoke their authorization for use of their PHI.

In the event that a subject revokes authorization to collect or use PHI, the investigator, by regulation, retains the ability to use all information collected prior to the revocation of subject authorization. For subjects that have revoked authorization to collect or use PHI, attempts should be made to obtain permission to collect at least vital status (i.e. that the subject is alive) at the end of their scheduled study period.

• IPD Sharing Time Frame: Recruitment will end when 100 participants are enrolled at Penn. Enrolled subjects who satisfy all eligibility criteria will then undergo the ablation procedure. After the study ablation procedure, participants will be part of the study for 6 months after ablation. A 30-day event monitor will be used for the first month after ablation. Then, regular clinic visits at 6 weeks and 6 months will arranged after ablation with 12 lead electrocardiogram check-up. In the last month, a 30- day event monitor will be set to detect the recurrence of atrial arrhythmias. All data are available and stored for 7 years after the end of the study.
• IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type: STUDY_PROTOCOL; SAP; CSR

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No