Superior Vena Cava Isolation Plus Pulmonary Vein Isolation for Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation

Superior Vena Cava Isolation Plus Pulmonary Vein Isolation for Paroxysmal Atrial: a Multi-center Retrospective Study

Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) has limited success. The superior vena cava (SVC) has been identified as one of the most common non-pulmonary vein triggers for PAF. It is estimated that SVC isolation (SVCI) could improve the clinical results of patients with PAF. However, results from previous studies about SVCI remain controversial. Safety concerns for SVCI may outweigh its benefits and lead to inadequate ablation. To address this issue, the introduction of a quantitative ablation index (AI) for SVCI may provide a solution. Therefore, the investigators sought to initiate a retrospective, multi-center study, to explore the efficacy and safety of quantitative SVCI in addition to PVI in PAF.

Study Overview

• Status: Active, not recruiting
• Conditions: Atrial Fibrillation
• Intervention / Treatment: Procedure: Pulmonary vein isolation plus superior vena cava isolation; Procedure: Pulmonary vein isolation

Detailed Description

Catheter ablation has emerged as an effective treatment for drug-refractory PAF and is recommended as first-line therapy by current guidelines. PVI is considered the cornerstone of catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation (AF). However, despite persistent PVI, a subgroup of patients may experience recurrent AF due to focal ectopic discharges originating outside the pulmonary veins. Among the non-pulmonary vein triggers, the SVC stands out as a common culprit, making it a promising ablation target for maintaining sinus rhythm. Nevertheless, results from previous studies that evaluated the efficacy of SVCI showed conflicting results. One possible explanation is that SVC is adjacent to critical anatomical structures (such as the sinus node and the phrenic nerve), which raises safety concerns and often leads to inadequate ablation.

Therefore, it is necessary to establish a standardized ablation procedure for SVCI, ensuring both safety and efficacy. To address this issue, the investigators proposed the concept of "quantitative ablation for SVCI." By introducing AI as a quantitative measure, it is possible to achieve precise catheter ablation while minimizing the risk of procedure-related complications.

This study aimed to investigate the safety and feasibility of quantitative AI-guided SVCI in addition to PVI. Participants with PAF who required catheter ablation will be consecutively enrolled in three hospitals in China.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Estimated): 400

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• China
  • Beijing
    • Beijing, Beijing, China, 100037
      • Chinese Academy of Medical Science, Fuwai hospital

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Symptomatic paroxysmal AF that are unresponsive to antiarrhythmic drugs (one or more than one).

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Symptomatic paroxysmal AF that are unresponsive to antiarrhythmic drugs (one or more than one).
• Willing to undergo catheter ablation for AF.

Exclusion Criteria:

• History of any type of catheter ablation for cardiac arrhythmias.
• Sinus node dysfunction that requires permanent pacemaker implantation.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

2

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort	Intervention / Treatment
Pulmonary vein isolation plus superior vena cava isolation	Procedure: Pulmonary vein isolation plus superior vena cava isolation; Pulmonary vein isolation plus superior vena cava isolation
Pulmonary vein isolation	Procedure: Pulmonary vein isolation; Pulmonary vein isolation only

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
AT/AF recurrence	atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, atrial tachycardia over 30s	12 months

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Fuwai Hospital
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Jun Liu, MD, PhD, Fuwai Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): February 1, 2024
• Primary Completion (Actual): December 30, 2024
• Study Completion (Estimated): May 31, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: December 14, 2023
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 14, 2023
• First Posted (Actual): December 27, 2023

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 25, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 12, 2025
• Last Verified: February 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Cardiovascular Diseases; Pathologic Processes; Heart Diseases; Arrhythmias, Cardiac; Atrial Fibrillation
• Other Study ID Numbers: T2020-ZX019

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

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