Persistent Atrial Fibrillation
Conditions
Keywords
Persistent Atrial Fibrillation, renal denervation (RDN), pulsed-field ablation (PFA)
Brief summary
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn whether adding renal denervation (RDN) to pulsed-field ablation (PFA) reduces recurrence of atrial tachyarrhythmias in adults (≥18 years) with persistent atrial fibrillation undergoing first-time ablation while off antiarrhythmic drugs. The main questions it aims to answer are: 1. Does PFA+RDN, compared with PFA alone, reduce the proportion of participants with any AF/atrial flutter/atrial tachycardia ≥30 seconds at 12 month? 2. Is PFA+RDN safe, as measured by procedure-related serious adverse events through 30 days?
Interventions
Renal denervation is a catheter-based procedure performed after renal angiography confirms no significant stenosis. A specialized catheter delivers low-energy pulses inside both renal arteries to disrupt overactive sympathetic nerves surrounding the vessels. Energy is applied in a spiral pattern from distal to proximal segments. The procedure is performed during the same session as PFA under anticoagulation.
Catheter-based PFA of the left atrium for wide-antral pulmonary vein isolation using a multielectrode PFA system. Entrance/exit block must be confirmed.
Sponsors
Study design
Eligibility
Inclusion criteria
* Age \> 18 years. * Patients with persistent atrial fibrillation undergoing first-time catheter ablation (defined as any episode lasting ≥7 days). * Symptomatic atrial fibrillation refractory to or intolerant of at least one class I or III antiarrhythmic drug and scheduled for guideline-directed catheter ablation. * Able to understand the study purpose, voluntarily participate, and sign the written informed consent form.
Exclusion criteria
* Presence of advanced structural heart disease. * Life expectancy \< 12 months. * Blood pressure \< 90/60 mmHg. * Pregnant or lactating women. * Anatomical abnormalities of the renal arteries unsuitable for treatment as determined by pre-procedural renal CTA. * History of renal artery intervention, impaired renal function with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) \< 45 mL/min/1.73 m² (calculated by the MDRD equation). * Secondary atrial fibrillation due to electrolyte imbalance, thyroid disorders, or other reversible or non-cardiac causes. * Contraindication to pulsed-field ablation (e.g., left atrial thrombus, prior atrial septal defect occluder implantation, or permanent metallic implant in the left atrium) or to anticoagulation therapy. * Known inability to obtain vascular access or contraindication to femoral venous puncture. * Heart failure with left ventricular ejection fraction \< 30% documented by transthoracic echocardiography within 3 months before ablation. * Patients with current or anticipated need for pacemaker, implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD), or cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT), or prior transseptal closure with occluder device for atrial septal defect or patent foramen ovale.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Freedom from Atrial Arrhythmia Recurrence | within 12 Months After the Index Procedure | Absence of any documented atrial tachyarrhythmia - including atrial fibrillation (AF), atrial tachycardia (AT), or atrial flutter (AFL) lasting ≥30 seconds - occurring |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Freedom from atrial tachyarrhythmia recurrence | within 3 months after the index procedure | Absence of any documented atrial tachyarrhythmia - including atrial fibrillation (AF), atrial tachycardia (AT), or atrial flutter (AFL) lasting ≥30 seconds - occurring |
| Atrial fibrillation burden | at 3、6、9、12 months | AF burden measured by 24-hour (or longer) Holter monitoring at 3、6、9、12 months, calculated as the proportion of AF duration to total recording time, in participants not receiving antiarrhythmic drugs. |
| Change in blood pressure | immediately, at 1 month, and at 3 months after procedure | Change in systolic and diastolic blood pressure from baseline to post-procedure, 1, 3, 6, 12-month follow-up visits. |
| Major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) | up to 12 months after ablation | Incidence of death, stroke, heart failure, major bleeding, non-stroke thromboembolic events, and cardiovascular hospitalization, reported both as individual and composite outcomes. |
| Changes in serum creatinine levels during follow-up. | During 12 months | Changes in renal function during follow-up. Using serum creatinine levels for assessment. |
| Incidence of Treatment-Emergent Adverse Events [Safety and Tolerability]), reported both as individual and composite outcomes. | 1 month after procedure | 1. Cardiac complications: pericardial effusion, cardiac tamponade, pericarditis, myocardial injury, coronary artery spasm or injury, and clinically significant bradyarrhythmia. 2. Vascular complications: access-site bleeding, hematoma, pseudoaneurysm, arteriovenous fistula, arterial dissection, and vascular occlusion. 3. Renal complications: renal artery stenosis, renal artery dissection, renal artery perforation or rupture, renal infarction, and clinically significant decline in renal function. 4. Neurological events: stroke and transient ischemic attack. 5. Thromboembolic events. 6. Major bleeding. 7. Symptomatic hypotension. 8. Death. 9. Other serious adverse events judged related or possibly related to the study procedure. |
Countries
China