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PULSed Field Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation Using a Balloon for Early Intervention - Study (PULSE)

5 octobre 2026 mis à jour par: Asklepios proresearch

PULSed Field Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation Using a Balloon for Early Intervention - Study - The "PULSE - Study"

This study is a prospective, multicenter, randomized, open-label, blinded end-point, controlled clinical trial to investigate the impact of first line pulsed field ablation during 12 months follow-up in patients with early-stage paroxysmal or persistent atrial fibrillation (<3 years) compared to usual care, defined as OMT.

Aperçu de l'étude

Statut

Recrutement

Les conditions

Description détaillée

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a progressive arrhythmia associated with significant morbidity and mortality and burden for our health care system. Early rhythm-control therapy was beneficial regarding cardiovascular outcomes in patients with symptomatic and asymptomatic AF. Recent studies introducing first line Cryo Balloon based catheter ablation EARLY-AF and STOP -AF provided strong evidence supporting early catheter ablation over pharmacologic rhythm control in the paroxysmal setting of AF. Ongoing studies are challenging the current concept investigating the expansion of early rhythm control also to all types of clinically diagnosed AF using cryo ablation. With the advent of pulsed field ablation (PFA), a third energy source-alongside cryothermal and radiofrequency (RF) ablation-has been established for the effective treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF). PFA induces so-called irreversible electroporation, thereby enabling successful ablation of myocardial tissue. Different cell types exhibit varying susceptibility and threshold levels for irreversible electroporation when exposed to PFA. Carefully tailored PFA pulse trains deliver sufficient energy to induce irreversible electroporation while avoiding excessive thermal effects on the surrounding tissue. Consequently, PFA enables selective targeting of myocardial tissue while minimizing collateral injury. This characteristic may translate into improved safety and efficacy in the treatment of AF. In contrast, thermal ablation techniques such as cryoablation and RF ablation inherently rely on substantial temperature changes, either cooling or heating, which may adversely affect adjacent anatomical structures including nerves (e.g., resulting in phrenic nerve palsy), vascular structures, and extracardiac tissues such as the esophagus. The occurrence of these potentially life-threatening complications may be reduced or possibly avoided using PFA. Over recent years, various PFA catheter designs as well as different PFA energy delivery settings have been introduced to enable effective and safe pulmonary vein isolation (PVI). A broad spectrum of catheter configurations-including focal single-tip catheters, pentaspline multielectrode systems, and balloon-based technologies-has been incorporated into clinical practice. Substantial comparative data evaluating PFA against conventional thermal ablation modalities (cryoablation and RF ablation) are now available. To date, no significant differences in acute procedural success rates, procedural parameters, or clinical outcome measures have been consistently observed, although one randomized trial demonstrated a trend toward improved outcomes with PFA. Across these studies, procedure duration was significantly shorter with PFA compared with conventional thermal ablation, representing an additional potential advantage of this treatment modality. More recent studies suggest that catheter ablation-particularly PFA-based ablation-for AF patients without documented recurrence during follow-up may be associated with a reduction in overall ischemic stroke events. These findings indicate that catheter ablation of AF may confer additional benefits in preventing adverse cardiovascular outcomes compared with medical therapy alone. Even in cases of AF recurrence, catheter ablation has been shown not only to significantly reduce AF burden but also to slow the progression from paroxysmal to persistent AF, the latter generally being associated with less favorable clinical outcomes compared with ablation performed during earlier disease stages. Despite the availability of effective antiarrhythmic drug therapy for AF, long-term pharmacological treatment is frequently limited by intolerance, side effects, or insufficient efficacy in a substantial proportion of patients. Nevertheless, large, randomized trials directly comparing PFA-based AF ablation with optimized medical therapy remain scarce.

Therefore, the PULSE study aims to evaluate the impact of PFA using a balloon-based catheter system for the treatment of AF on the maintenance of sinus rhythm compared with optimized medical therapy. In addition, the study will assess AF disease progression in patients with early-stage atrial fibrillation, including both symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals with paroxysmal or early persistent AF.

Type d'étude

Interventionnel

Inscription (Estimé)

264

Phase

  • N'est pas applicable

Contacts et emplacements

Cette section fournit les coordonnées de ceux qui mènent l'étude et des informations sur le lieu où cette étude est menée.

Coordonnées de l'étude

Sauvegarde des contacts de l'étude

Lieux d'étude

      • Bad Oeynhausen, Allemagne
        • Pas encore de recrutement
        • HZD Bad Oeynhausen
        • Contact:
          • Philipp Sommer, MD
      • Cologne, Allemagne
        • Pas encore de recrutement
        • Uniklinik Köln
        • Contact:
          • Daniel Steven, MD
      • Düsseldorf, Allemagne
        • Pas encore de recrutement
        • Uniklinik Düsseldorf
        • Contact:
          • Obaida Rana, MD
      • Frankfurt, Allemagne
        • Pas encore de recrutement
        • CCB Frankfurt
        • Contact:
          • Melanie Gunawardene, MD
      • Giessen, Allemagne
        • Pas encore de recrutement
        • Uniklinik Gießen
        • Contact:
          • Borislav Dinov, MD
      • Hamburg, Allemagne, 20099
        • Recrutement
        • Arian Sultan
        • Contact:
      • Herne, Allemagne
        • Pas encore de recrutement
        • Marien Hospital Herne
        • Contact:
          • Christian Ukena, MD
      • Leipzig, Allemagne
        • Pas encore de recrutement
        • Leipzig Herzzentrum HZL
        • Contact:
          • Kerstin Bode, MD
      • Neuss, Allemagne
        • Recrutement
        • Lukas Krankenhaus Neuss
        • Contact:
          • Torsten Becker, MD
      • Nuremberg, Allemagne
        • Pas encore de recrutement
        • Klinikum Nürnberg
        • Contact:
          • Thomas Deneke, MD

Critères de participation

Les chercheurs recherchent des personnes qui correspondent à une certaine description, appelée critères d'éligibilité. Certains exemples de ces critères sont l'état de santé général d'une personne ou des traitements antérieurs.

Critère d'éligibilité

Âges éligibles pour étudier

18 ans et plus (Adulte, Adulte plus âgé)

Accepte les volontaires sains

Non

Sexes éligibles pour l'étude

Tout

La description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Adults (≥18 years) with symptomatic or asymptomatic, paroxysmal or persistent atrial fibrillation
  • First diagnosis of AF within the last 36 months
  • At least one documented episode of AF on ECG, Holter monitoring, or eligible Smart Watch Device
  • No prior catheter ablation for AF

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Persistent AF >3 years or longstanding persistent AF
  • Previous AF-Ablation
  • Ongoing continuous AAD therapy with Amiodarone at baseline
  • History of failed continuous AAD therapy with > 1 agent. Exceptions are Beta blocker, Verapamil or "pill in the pocket"-therapy
  • Left Atrial Volume Index (LAVI) > 50mL/m2
  • Severe mitral regurgitation
  • Contraindications to anticoagulation therapy
  • Severe pulmonary or renal disease
  • Pregnancy, active cancer disease
  • Any condition or disease which is contraindication for AF ablation within 21 days or Anti-Arrhythmic Drug (AAD)

Plan d'étude

Cette section fournit des détails sur le plan d'étude, y compris la façon dont l'étude est conçue et ce que l'étude mesure.

Comment l'étude est-elle conçue ?

Détails de conception

  • Objectif principal: Traitement
  • Répartition: Randomisé
  • Modèle interventionnel: Affectation parallèle
  • Masquage: Seul

Armes et Interventions

Groupe de participants / Bras
Intervention / Traitement
Comparateur actif: Group1: Pulsed Field-Ablation

Patients randomized in the intervention group should receive the PFA ablation within 21 days.

PFA (Pulse Field Ablation) - Pulmonary vein isolation ablation for atrial fibrillation

Aucune intervention: Group 2: Usual care

Patients randomized in the control group / usual care group will undergo optimal medical treatment (OMT), defined as antiarrhythmic drug therapy (AAD). Within 21 days patients in the control group should start or maintain on AAD therapy based on decision of the investigator and according to current ESC Guidelines.

Que mesure l'étude ?

Principaux critères de jugement

Mesure des résultats
Description de la mesure
Délai
Freedom from any Atrial Tachyarrhythmia
Délai: through 9 weeks to 12 months follow-up

Arrhythmia-free survival, defined as freedom from atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, or atrial tachycardia lasting >30 seconds through 9 weeks to 12 months follow-up on ILR monitoring via blinded core lab or any 12 lead ECG on visits, ECG Holter monitoring, or on symptom driven event monitoring after a 8 week Blanking period (reviewed by a blinded endpoint review committee).

through 9 weeks to 12 months follow-up

Mesures de résultats secondaires

Mesure des résultats
Description de la mesure
Délai
AF Burden
Délai: through 9 weeks to 12 months follow-up

Freedom from atrial fibrillation (AF) (>30 s) through 9 weeks to 12 months follow-up

through 9 weeks to 12 months follow-up
Burden of Atrial Tachycardia and Atrial Flutter
Délai: through 9 weeks to 12 months follow-up

Freedom from atrial tachycardia and atrial flutter (AFL) (>30 s) through 9 weeks to 12 months follow-up

through 9 weeks to 12 months follow-up
Re-hospitalization rate
Délai: up to 12 months follow-up

Re-hospitalization rate due to cardiovascular disease (e.g. AF, worsening of heart failure)

up to 12 months follow-up
AF Progression Timeline
Délai: through 9 weeks to 12 months follow-up

Progression from paroxysmal to persistent AF trough 9 weeks to 12 months follow-up.

through 9 weeks to 12 months follow-up
Symptom Burden assessed by quality of life
Délai: QoL will be measured at baseline and at 12 months of follow up evaluating the improvement of QoL within one year.

Symptom Burden, detected by Patient Questionnaires: Atrial Fibrillation Effect on QualiTy-of-Life (AFEQT) and MOCA.

The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) is used as screening instrument for cognitive dysfunction.

The AFEQT questionnaire is used because it is specific to AF and validated in that subject population. From each AFEQT questionnaire, a single score will be calculated in line with AFEQT scoring guidelines and post-procedure values will be compared between the randomized arms.

QoL will be measured at baseline and at 12 months of follow up evaluating the improvement of QoL within one year.
Procedure-related complications
Délai: up to 12 months follow-up

Procedure-related complications, including phrenic nerve injury, pulmonary vein stenosis, esophageal injury and stroke.

up to 12 months follow-up
HF Progression Markers
Délai: up to 12 months follow-up

Progression of heart failure defined as trend in LV-EF and trend in BNP

up to 12 months follow-up

Collaborateurs et enquêteurs

C'est ici que vous trouverez les personnes et les organisations impliquées dans cette étude.

Les enquêteurs

  • Chercheur principal: Arian Sultan, MD, Asklepios Klinik St. Georg
  • Chercheur principal: Stephan Willems, MD, Asklepios Klinik St. Georg

Publications et liens utiles

La personne responsable de la saisie des informations sur l'étude fournit volontairement ces publications. Il peut s'agir de tout ce qui concerne l'étude.

Publications générales

Dates d'enregistrement des études

Ces dates suivent la progression des dossiers d'étude et des soumissions de résultats sommaires à ClinicalTrials.gov. Les dossiers d'étude et les résultats rapportés sont examinés par la Bibliothèque nationale de médecine (NLM) pour s'assurer qu'ils répondent à des normes de contrôle de qualité spécifiques avant d'être publiés sur le site Web public.

Dates principales de l'étude

Début de l'étude (Réel)

19 août 2026

Achèvement primaire (Estimé)

31 mars 2030

Achèvement de l'étude (Estimé)

31 mars 2031

Dates d'inscription aux études

Première soumission

20 mai 2026

Première soumission répondant aux critères de contrôle qualité

27 mai 2026

Première publication (Réel)

2 juin 2026

Mises à jour des dossiers d'étude

Dernière mise à jour publiée (Réel)

6 octobre 2026

Dernière mise à jour soumise répondant aux critères de contrôle qualité

5 octobre 2026

Dernière vérification

1 août 2026

Plus d'information

Termes liés à cette étude

Mots clés

Autres numéros d'identification d'étude

  • #4523 - PULSE Study

Informations sur les médicaments et les dispositifs, documents d'étude

Étudie un produit pharmaceutique réglementé par la FDA américaine

Non

Étudie un produit d'appareil réglementé par la FDA américaine

Non

Ces informations ont été extraites directement du site Web clinicaltrials.gov sans aucune modification. Si vous avez des demandes de modification, de suppression ou de mise à jour des détails de votre étude, veuillez contacter register@clinicaltrials.gov. Dès qu'un changement est mis en œuvre sur clinicaltrials.gov, il sera également mis à jour automatiquement sur notre site Web .

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