What the trial was testing
The CONVERGE enrolled 170 patients with atrial fibrillation. The study was sponsored by AtriCure, Inc. and tracked outcomes across the full group of patients who matched the trial's eligibility profile.
Researchers followed patients through treatment and into recovery, tracking the outcomes that mattered most for the disease being studied.
What the results showed
68% of patients stayed in normal rhythm at one year with the combined approach versus 50% with standard catheter ablation.
Circulation. Arrhythmia and electrophysiology · 2020 · NCT01984346
These findings — that two-thirds of patients using the combined approach stayed in normal heart rhythm at one year — were published in the Circulation. Arrhythmia and electrophysiology and represent the headline result of the study.
Researchers tracked outcomes across 170 patients enrolled in the trial. The result was consistent enough across the group that the team felt confident reporting it.
What this means for patients
For patients with atrial fibrillation, this result changes the calculus on what to ask their care team about. Whether it changes day-to-day care depends on factors like disease subtype, prior treatments, and where the patient is in their care journey.
What you can do now
This hybrid procedure is FDA-approved and available for persistent atrial fibrillation that hasn't responded to other treatments. It combines minimally invasive surgery on the heart's surface with catheter ablation from inside. Ask your electrophysiologist if you're a candidate, especially if you've tried catheter ablation before without success or have long-standing persistent AFib.
Eligibility for the treatments mentioned above depends on specific test results and clinical history. Bring this summary, the trial name, and your most recent labs or pathology report to your next visit.
Open atrial fibrillation trials
The Evaluation for Prognostic Factors After Catheter Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation: Cohort Study
1\. Purpose of the study 1\) To explore clinical recurrence associated clinical factors including age, sex, clinical, electrophysiological, anatomical, imaging, and serologic characteristics. 2\) To develop simulation model to predict clinical recurrence and the efficacy of catheter ablation 2. Scientific evidence of the study 1. In atrial fibrillation patients, the maintenance of normal sinus rhythm showed significant reduction of mortality. 2. drug therapy with anti-arrhythmic drug showed many complications and side effect, thus non-drug therapy such as catheter ablation is developed. 3. catheter ablation has been performed for 10years world-wide, and showed superior treatment outcome compared with drug therapy. 4. clinical outcome after catheter ablation is affected not only by age, sex and underlying disease, but also by electrophysiologic, imaging, serologic and electroanatomical remodeling of the heart. However, there are few studies concerning these multifactorial variables. 3\. Study population
Surgical Ablation of AF Efficacy Trial
SAFE is an international multicentre RCT of concomitant surgical atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation in patients with paroxysmal or persistent AF undergoing cardiac surgery.