A Randomized Controlled Trial of Pulsed Field Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation (POWER-AF)

Summary

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is one of the most common arrhythmias in clinical practice. As of 2019, there were approximately 59.7 million patients with AF worldwide, including atrial flutter (AF). Atrial fibrillation can significantly increase the risks of stroke, thromboembolism and heart failure in patients, seriously affecting their quality of life.

Catheter ablation is the main means for rhythm control in patients with atrial fibrillation. A large number of clinical studies have confirmed the effectiveness and safety of catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation. It is significantly superior to drug treatment in maintaining sinus rhythm and can significantly improve symptoms and quality of life.

Pulsed electric field ablation (PFA) is a novel ablation method that utilizes pulsed electric fields as energy. It uses multiple short-duration and high-voltage electrical pulses to release ablation energy, selectively causing myocardial cells to rupture and die. However, it has no obvious damaging effect on blood vessels, nerves, and tissues around the heart, such as the lungs, esophagus, and phrenic nerve.

This trial was designed based on the advantage of the characteristic that PFA does not damage the esophagus, confining the damage to the posterior half of the left atrium and the circumferential isthmus of the mitral valve. While improving the ablation success rate, it is possible to protect the function of the left atrium. This study aims to verify the superiority of the new rhythm control strategy in a large-scale population by launching a prospective randomized controlled trial.

Conditions

• Atrial Fibrillation (AF)
• Atrial Fibrillation Ablation
• Atrial Fibrillation Recurrent
• Pulsed Field Ablation
• Radiofrequency Catheter Ablation

Interventions

PROCEDURE

Pulsed field ablation

Left atrial electrical anatomical mapping modeling was performed using a high-density mapping catheter, and ablation was carried out using a pulsed field catheter. For patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, bilateral large loop pulmonary vein isolation combined with left posterior atrial wall ablation is performed. For patients with persistent atrial fibrillation, bilateral large loop pulmonary vein isolation, left posterior atrial wall ablation, and mitral valve isthmus ablation are performed. For patients with atrial fibrillation rhythm after ablation, intravenous ibutilide/electrical cardioversion was used for conversion, and the specific conversion strategy was consistent with that of the radiofrequency ablation group.

PROCEDURE

Radiofrequency ablation alone

Radiofrequency ablation will be performed using a saline perfusion catheter, and the ablation catheter was empirically selected by the surgeon. For patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, circumferential pulmonary vein isolation is performed. For patients with persistent atrial fibrillation, circumferential pulmonary vein isolation combined with individualized linear ablation is performed. For those whose ablation of all the established routes has been completed but whose sinus rhythm has not been restored, intravenous ibulide is used for drug cardioversion. If the drug fails to counteract, perform two-phase alternating current cardioversion. Cardioversion can be repeated at most twice.

DEVICE

Pulsed field ablation system

Pulsed field ablation will be performed using a pulsed field ablation system for pulmonary vein isolation and additional ablation as clinically indicated.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• China National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases

  lead OTHER_GOV

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2025-04-16

Primary Completion

2027-11-30

Completion

2028-11-30

FDA Device

Yes

Countries

• China

Study Locations