Outcomes of High Power Application in Catheter Ablation of Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation Guided by Unipolar Signal Modification.

Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) is the cornerstone of catheter ablation procedures in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) [1]. However, the incidence of atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrence remains high [2], mostly due to pulmonary vein (PV) reconnection [1], emphasizing the formation of transmural lesions to achieve complete conduction block along the ablation lines [3].

Previous studies have shown that elimination of the negative component of the unipolar electrogram (UP-EGM) during radiofrequency applications reflects transmural lesions. The persistence of such a negative component consistently corresponds to non-trans mural lesions [4].

Study Overview

• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Conditions: Atrial Fibrillation Paroxysmal
• Intervention / Treatment: Procedure: Standard power application; Procedure: high power application

Detailed Description

Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) is the cornerstone of catheter ablation procedures in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) [1]. However, the incidence of atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrence remains high [2], mostly due to pulmonary vein (PV) reconnection [1], emphasizing the formation of transmural lesions to achieve complete conduction block along the ablation lines [3].

Previous studies have shown that elimination of the negative component of the unipolar electrogram (UP-EGM) during radiofrequency applications reflects transmural lesions. The persistence of such a negative component consistently corresponds to non-trans mural lesions [4].

The high-power short duration (HPSD) RF application applies to all RF energies delivered at more than 40 W [5]. Higher the power more is the resistive heating causing wider tissue injury [5]. The lesion size with HPSD is larger in width but lesser in depth compared to lower powers with longer duration [5]. In contrast, RF applications of lower power and longer duration result in larger dissipation of RF energies deep into the tissues due to conductive heating causing tissue destruction at greater depths [6]. Hence, there is a risk of collateral tissue damage [5].

HPSD ablation has been advocated as a means to minimize the risk of collateral organ damage as the lesions are smaller in depth. However, Maintaining a high power for a constant duration in the absence of a guide may not be the right strategy [5].

Unipolar waveform modification by complete elimination of the negative component may serve as a guide for HPSD ablation [5].

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Anticipated): 50
• Phase: Not Applicable

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 80 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation

Exclusion Criteria:

• Age< 18 or > 80 years old,
• Atrium (LA) diameter > 50 mm,
• The presence of a mechanical mitral valve prosthesis,
• Left ventricular ejection fraction < 40%,
• Abnormal thyroid function,
• Contraindication to anticoagulant therapy,
• Current malignancy,
• Prior catheter or surgical AF ablation.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: Standard power application	Procedure: Standard power application; Standard power application
Active Comparator: High power application	Procedure: high power application; Radiofrequency delivery was performed in a point-by point fashion and continuously (an inter-lesion distance of 6 mm) with 50 W and 70 W and the ablation time for each point is limited to 7s and repeated if needed till the Unipolar signal modification turn to complete positive R wave.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Ablation success at 6-month after the index procedure	Ablation success is defined as no recurrence with no anti-arrhythmic drugs by taking history of symptoms from the patient and by Holter 48 Hours.	6 months

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Assiut University

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Kottmaier M, Popa M, Bourier F, Reents T, Cifuentes J, Semmler V, Telishevska M, Otgonbayar U, Koch-Buttner K, Lennerz C, Bartkowiak M, Kornmayer M, Rousseva E, Brkic A, Grebmer C, Kolb C, Hessling G, Deisenhofer I. Safety and outcome of very high-power short-duration ablation using 70 W for pulmonary vein isolation in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. Europace. 2020 Mar 1;22(3):388-393. doi: 10.1093/europace/euz342.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Anticipated): September 20, 2021
• Primary Completion (Anticipated): October 1, 2022
• Study Completion (Anticipated): March 20, 2023

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: June 23, 2020
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 24, 2020
• First Posted (Actual): June 25, 2020

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): January 13, 2021
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 12, 2021
• Last Verified: January 1, 2021

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Atrial fibrillation ablation - unipolar signal modification
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pathologic Processes; Heart Diseases; Cardiovascular Diseases; Arrhythmias, Cardiac; Atrial Fibrillation
• Other Study ID Numbers: atrial fibrillation ablation

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

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

Drug and device information, study documents

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