The Ablate-by-LAW Study

Atrial Fibrillation Clinical Trial

Official title:

Feasibility and Efficacy of Tailoring Ablation Index to Left Atrial Wall Thickness During Atrial Fibrillation Ablation: The Ablate By-LAW Study

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT04218604
• Other study ID #: Ablation-by-LAW
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: November 21, 2020
• Est. completion date: July 20, 2022

Study information

• Verified date: August 2023
• Source: Centro Medico Teknon
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

Of all the determinants of lesion creation during atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation, left atrial wall thickness (LAWT), as measured with multi-detector cardiac tomography (MDCT) is one key element that has been evaluated in some retrospective analyses but is not yet used per protocol to modulate the radiofrequency delivery. Adapting ablation index (AI) to LAWT would be very useful in standardising the ablation procedure with parameters fitted to every patient, enabling the development of a personalized approach that will both: i) increase efficacy by performing transmural lesions to prevent the formation of conduction gaps in the initial lesion set, and ii) increase safety by preventing excessive RF delivery on thin wall areas related to procedural complications, such as cardiac perforation or atrio-esophageal fistula. The investigators sought to evaluate the feasibility, safety, efficacy and reproducibility of guiding AF ablation procedures with the integrated MDCT-derived LAWT information.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 106
• Est. completion date: July 20, 2022
• Est. primary completion date: July 20, 2022
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: All
• Age group: 18 Years and older

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age > 18 years.
• Indication for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation ablation.
• Signed informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Age < 18 years.
• Pregnancy.
• Previous AF ablation procedure (REDO).

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Atrial Fibrillation

Intervention

Procedure:
• Personalized atrial fibrillation ablation
Atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation adapting the ablation index (AI) target in a point-by-point manner, according the local left atrial wall thickness (LAWT), as measured by multidetector cardiac tomography (MDCT)

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
Germany	Herz- und Diabeteszentrum Nordrhein-Westfalen	Bad Oeynhausen
Germany	Heart Center Leipzig University Hospital	Leipzig
Italy	Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana	Pisa
Spain	Teknon Medical Center	Barcelona
Spain	Puerta del Mar University Hospital	Cadiz

Sponsors (5)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Centro Medico Teknon	Azienda Ospedaliero, Universitaria Pisana, Heart and Diabetes Center North Rhine-Westphalia, Heart Center Leipzig - University Hospital, Hospital Universitario Puerta del Mar

Countries where clinical trial is conducted

Germany,  Italy,  Spain, 

References & Publications (28)

Barkagan M, Rottmann M, Leshem E, Shen C, Buxton AE, Anter E. Effect of Baseline Impedance on Ablation Lesion Dimensions: A Multimodality Concept Validation From Physics to Clinical Experience. Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol. 2018 Oct;11(10):e006690. doi: 10.1161/CIRCEP.118.006690. — View Citation

Bishop M, Rajani R, Plank G, Gaddum N, Carr-White G, Wright M, O'Neill M, Niederer S. Three-dimensional atrial wall thickness maps to inform catheter ablation procedures for atrial fibrillation. Europace. 2016 Mar;18(3):376-83. doi: 10.1093/europace/euv073. Epub 2015 Apr 4. — View Citation

Calkins H, Hindricks G, Cappato R, Kim YH, Saad EB, Aguinaga L, Akar JG, Badhwar V, Brugada J, Camm J, Chen PS, Chen SA, Chung MK, Nielsen JC, Curtis AB, Davies DW, Day JD, d'Avila A, de Groot NMSN, Di Biase L, Duytschaever M, Edgerton JR, Ellenbogen KA, Ellinor PT, Ernst S, Fenelon G, Gerstenfeld EP, Haines DE, Haissaguerre M, Helm RH, Hylek E, Jackman WM, Jalife J, Kalman JM, Kautzner J, Kottkamp H, Kuck KH, Kumagai K, Lee R, Lewalter T, Lindsay BD, Macle L, Mansour M, Marchlinski FE, Michaud GF, Nakagawa H, Natale A, Nattel S, Okumura K, Packer D, Pokushalov E, Reynolds MR, Sanders P, Scanavacca M, Schilling R, Tondo C, Tsao HM, Verma A, Wilber DJ, Yamane T. 2017 HRS/EHRA/ECAS/APHRS/SOLAECE expert consensus statement on catheter and surgical ablation of atrial fibrillation: Executive summary. J Arrhythm. 2017 Oct;33(5):369-409. doi: 10.1016/j.joa.2017.08.001. Epub 2017 Sep 15. No abstract available. — View Citation

Cappato R, Negroni S, Pecora D, Bentivegna S, Lupo PP, Carolei A, Esposito C, Furlanello F, De Ambroggi L. Prospective assessment of late conduction recurrence across radiofrequency lesions producing electrical disconnection at the pulmonary vein ostium in patients with atrial fibrillation. Circulation. 2003 Sep 30;108(13):1599-604. doi: 10.1161/01.CIR.0000091081.19465.F1. Epub 2003 Sep 8. — View Citation

Chikata A, Kato T, Sakagami S, Kato C, Saeki T, Kawai K, Takashima S, Murai H, Usui S, Furusho H, Kaneko S, Takamura M. Optimal Force-Time Integral for Pulmonary Vein Isolation According to Anatomical Wall Thickness Under the Ablation Line. J Am Heart Assoc. 2016 Mar 15;5(3):e003155. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.115.003155. — View Citation

Das M, Loveday JJ, Wynn GJ, Gomes S, Saeed Y, Bonnett LJ, Waktare JEP, Todd DM, Hall MCS, Snowdon RL, Modi S, Gupta D. Ablation index, a novel marker of ablation lesion quality: prediction of pulmonary vein reconnection at repeat electrophysiology study a — View Citation

De Potter T, Van Herendael H, Balasubramaniam R, Wright M, Agarwal SC, Sanders P, Khaykin Y, Latcu DG, Maury P, Pani A, Hayes J, Kalman J, Nery P, Duncan E. Safety and long-term effectiveness of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation ablation with a contact force-sensing catheter: real-world experience from a prospective, multicentre observational cohort registry. Europace. 2018 Nov 1;20(FI_3):f410-f418. doi: 10.1093/europace/eux290. — View Citation

Eitel C, Hindricks G, Sommer P, Gaspar T, Kircher S, Wetzel U, Dagres N, Esato M, Bollmann A, Husser D, Hilbert S, Zaker-Shahrak R, Arya A, Piorkowski C. Circumferential pulmonary vein isolation and linear left atrial ablation as a single-catheter techniq — View Citation

Ho SY, Cabrera JA, Tran VH, Farre J, Anderson RH, Sanchez-Quintana D. Architecture of the pulmonary veins: relevance to radiofrequency ablation. Heart. 2001 Sep;86(3):265-70. doi: 10.1136/heart.86.3.265. — View Citation

Ho SY, Sanchez-Quintana D. The importance of atrial structure and fibers. Clin Anat. 2009 Jan;22(1):52-63. doi: 10.1002/ca.20634. — View Citation

Hussein A, Das M, Chaturvedi V, Asfour IK, Daryanani N, Morgan M, Ronayne C, Shaw M, Snowdon R, Gupta D. Prospective use of Ablation Index targets improves clinical outcomes following ablation for atrial fibrillation. J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol. 2017 Sep — View Citation

Ikeda A, Nakagawa H, Lambert H, Shah DC, Fonck E, Yulzari A, Sharma T, Pitha JV, Lazzara R, Jackman WM. Relationship between catheter contact force and radiofrequency lesion size and incidence of steam pop in the beating canine heart: electrogram amplitude, impedance, and electrode temperature are poor predictors of electrode-tissue contact force and lesion size. Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol. 2014 Dec;7(6):1174-80. doi: 10.1161/CIRCEP.113.001094. Epub 2014 Nov 7. — View Citation

Inoue J, Skanes AC, Gula LJ, Drangova M. Effect of Left Atrial Wall Thickness on Radiofrequency Ablation Success. J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol. 2016 Nov;27(11):1298-1303. doi: 10.1111/jce.13065. Epub 2016 Sep 16. — View Citation

Kirchhof P, Benussi S, Kotecha D, Ahlsson A, Atar D, Casadei B, Castella M, Diener HC, Heidbuchel H, Hendriks J, Hindricks G, Manolis AS, Oldgren J, Alexandru Popescu B, Schotten U, Van Putte B, Vardas P. 2016 ESC Guidelines for the Management of Atrial Fibrillation Developed in Collaboration With EACTS. Rev Esp Cardiol (Engl Ed). 2017 Jan;70(1):50. doi: 10.1016/j.rec.2016.11.033. No abstract available. Erratum In: Rev Esp Cardiol (Engl Ed). 2017 Nov;70(11):1031. English, Spanish. — View Citation

Kistler PM, Ho SY, Rajappan K, Morper M, Harris S, Abrams D, Sporton SC, Schilling RJ. Electrophysiologic and anatomic characterization of sites resistant to electrical isolation during circumferential pulmonary vein ablation for atrial fibrillation: a prospective study. J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol. 2007 Dec;18(12):1282-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1540-8167.2007.00981.x. Epub 2007 Oct 3. — View Citation

Kuck KH, Hoffmann BA, Ernst S, Wegscheider K, Treszl A, Metzner A, Eckardt L, Lewalter T, Breithardt G, Willems S; Gap-AF-AFNET 1 Investigators*. Impact of Complete Versus Incomplete Circumferential Lines Around the Pulmonary Veins During Catheter Ablation of Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation: Results From the Gap-Atrial Fibrillation-German Atrial Fibrillation Competence Network 1 Trial. Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol. 2016 Jan;9(1):e003337. doi: 10.1161/CIRCEP.115.003337. — View Citation

Nakamura K, Funabashi N, Uehara M, Ueda M, Murayama T, Takaoka H, Komuro I. Left atrial wall thickness in paroxysmal atrial fibrillation by multislice-CT is initial marker of structural remodeling and predictor of transition from paroxysmal to chronic form. Int J Cardiol. 2011 Apr 14;148(2):139-47. doi: 10.1016/j.ijcard.2009.10.032. Epub 2009 Nov 10. — View Citation

Ouyang F, Tilz R, Chun J, Schmidt B, Wissner E, Zerm T, Neven K, Kokturk B, Konstantinidou M, Metzner A, Fuernkranz A, Kuck KH. Long-term results of catheter ablation in paroxysmal atrial fibrillation: lessons from a 5-year follow-up. Circulation. 2010 Dec 7;122(23):2368-77. doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.110.946806. Epub 2010 Nov 22. — View Citation

Pambrun T, Combes S, Sousa P, Bloa ML, El Bouazzaoui R, Grand-Larrieu D, Thompson N, Martin R, Combes N, Boveda S, Haissaguerre M, Albenque JP. Contact-force guided single-catheter approach for pulmonary vein isolation: Feasibility, outcomes, and cost-eff — View Citation

Reddy VY, Dukkipati SR, Neuzil P, Natale A, Albenque JP, Kautzner J, Shah D, Michaud G, Wharton M, Harari D, Mahapatra S, Lambert H, Mansour M. Randomized, Controlled Trial of the Safety and Effectiveness of a Contact Force-Sensing Irrigated Catheter for Ablation of Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation: Results of the TactiCath Contact Force Ablation Catheter Study for Atrial Fibrillation (TOCCASTAR) Study. Circulation. 2015 Sep 8;132(10):907-15. doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.114.014092. Epub 2015 Aug 10. — View Citation

Schaeffer B, Willems S, Sultan A, Hoffmann BA, Luker J, Schreiber D, Akbulak R, Moser J, Kuklik P, Steven D. Loss of Pace Capture on the Ablation Line During Pulmonary Vein Isolation versus "Dormant Conduction": Is Adenosine Expendable? J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol. 2015 Oct;26(10):1075-80. doi: 10.1111/jce.12759. Epub 2015 Aug 29. — View Citation

Shah DC, Lambert H, Nakagawa H, Langenkamp A, Aeby N, Leo G. Area under the real-time contact force curve (force-time integral) predicts radiofrequency lesion size in an in vitro contractile model. J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol. 2010 Sep;21(9):1038-43. doi: 10.1111/j.1540-8167.2010.01750.x. — View Citation

Steven D, Reddy VY, Inada K, Roberts-Thomson KC, Seiler J, Stevenson WG, Michaud GF. Loss of pace capture on the ablation line: a new marker for complete radiofrequency lesions to achieve pulmonary vein isolation. Heart Rhythm. 2010 Mar;7(3):323-30. doi: — View Citation

Suenari K, Nakano Y, Hirai Y, Ogi H, Oda N, Makita Y, Ueda S, Kajihara K, Tokuyama T, Motoda C, Fujiwara M, Chayama K, Kihara Y. Left atrial thickness under the catheter ablation lines in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation: insights from 64-slice multidetector computed tomography. Heart Vessels. 2013 May;28(3):360-8. doi: 10.1007/s00380-012-0253-6. Epub 2012 Apr 22. — View Citation

Sun JY, Yun CH, Mok GSP, Liu YH, Hung CL, Wu TH, Alaiti MA, Eck BL, Fares A, Bezerra HG. Left Atrium Wall-mapping Application for Wall Thickness Visualisation. Sci Rep. 2018 Mar 8;8(1):4169. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-22089-z. — View Citation

Taghji P, El Haddad M, Phlips T, Wolf M, Knecht S, Vandekerckhove Y, Tavernier R, Nakagawa H, Duytschaever M. Evaluation of a Strategy Aiming to Enclose the Pulmonary Veins With Contiguous and Optimized Radiofrequency Lesions in Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrilla — View Citation

Takahashi K, Okumura Y, Watanabe I, Nagashima K, Sonoda K, Sasaki N, Kogawa R, Iso K, Ohkubo K, Nakai T, Hirayama A. Relation Between Left Atrial Wall Thickness in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation and Intracardiac Electrogram Characteristics and ATP-Provoked Dormant Pulmonary Vein Conduction. J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol. 2015 Jun;26(6):597-605. doi: 10.1111/jce.12660. Epub 2015 May 1. — View Citation

Thiagalingam A, D'Avila A, Foley L, Guerrero JL, Lambert H, Leo G, Ruskin JN, Reddy VY. Importance of catheter contact force during irrigated radiofrequency ablation: evaluation in a porcine ex vivo model using a force-sensing catheter. J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol. 2010 Jul;21(7):806-11. doi: 10.1111/j.1540-8167.2009.01693.x. Epub 2010 Feb 1. — View Citation

* Note: There are 28 references in all — Click here to view all references

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Arrhythmia-free survival	1-year atrial arrhythmia-free survival	1 year
Secondary	Acute procedural outcomes	Procedure times	1 day
Secondary	Peri-procedural complications		1 month
Secondary	REDO outcomes	Mean LAWT at late reconnection sites	2 years