At a glance
- What the study gets you
- Access to the study treatment being tested
- Type of study
- Interventional (receives a drug or procedure)
- Time in hospital
- In-person visits at study sites — visit count not specified by the sponsor
- Drug or intervention
- Pulmonary vein reisolation (procedure), Ganglionic plexi ablation (procedure), Substrate ablation (procedure)
- How long the study runs
- Study runs about 57 months (dates as stated)
- About the drug or intervention
- Pulmonary vein reisolation — procedure: The pulmonary veins will be checked electrically and further ablation will be undertaken if they are not isolated. · Ganglionic plexi ablation — procedure: Sites where ganglionix plexi have been found will be ablated. · Substrate ablation — procedure: Areas of rate dependent conduction velocity slowing will be targeted using cathether ablation
- Patient visit burden
- Not specified by the sponsor
- Type of study
- Testing a treatment
- Ages
- 18 Years and over
- Who
- All
- Number of participants
- 160
- Started
- 2025-11-07
- Last checked
- 2025-11
Plain English Summary
What is this study?
- • Testing a new treatment for atrial fibrillation (af)
- • NA - 160 participants
- • Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common heart rhythm disorder, affecting millions worldwide and causing symptoms such as palpitations, fatigue and breathlessness
Who can take part?
- • Ages 18 Years and over
- • Diagnosed with atrial fibrillation (af)
Where?
- • London - St Bartholomew's Hospital
This is a simplified summary. Always discuss with your doctor before making any decisions.
About This Trial
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common heart rhythm disorder, affecting millions worldwide and causing symptoms such as palpitations, fatigue and breathlessness. It also increases the risk of stroke and heart failure, so effective treatment is essential. A treatment for AF involves catheter ablation, a minimally invasive procedure where problematic areas of the heart are targeted using controlled energy. This is done by passing wires called catheters, through blood vessels at the top of the leg all the way to the heart. However, this isn't effective for everyone and approximately half of patients experience a return of AF despite treatment. In this researcher-led study at St Bartholomew's Hospital , the investigators will use a method called electroanatomical mapping to make a 3D picture of the left atrium, the heart's upper left chamber. To make this picture more detailed, information will be collected - such as how strong electrical signals are (voltage), how fast and in which direction they travel through the heart to describe abnormal areas and areas of scar within the heart. Information will also be gathered about the routes electricity takes and the nerve activity in the heart muscle. These detailed maps will help to understand why AF can continue indefinitely in some people, why ablation works for some people and not others, and improve how ablations are done to make them more effective. All participants will undergo catheter ablation with these mapping methods integrated into the procedure. If AF recurs, patients will be invited for a second ablation targeting specific abnormal areas depending on the amount of scar found. This will be standardised across patients. Patients will be followed for 12 months, with structured visits at 3, 6, 9 and 12 months and 48-hour ECG recorders at 6 and 12 months. By tracking how the heart's structure and electrical behaviour evolve, the aim is to to see if map-guided ablation reduces the need for further procedures, lowers healthcare costs and improves quality of life. Ultimately, this study will provide clear, reproducible insights into AF mechanisms and yield practical guidance so clinicians can predict who will benefit from standard ablation treatment and who may require extra, map-guided treatment.
How this trial compares with your answers
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What we know so far
Still need:
- • Tell us your age for better matching
- • Tell us your sex for better matching
Preliminary match based on your answers. Full eligibility requires on-site assessment including medical history, physical exam, and lab tests. This does not guarantee enrolment.
Eligibility at a Glance
Key info
- Age: 18 Years and over
- Who can join: All genders
What the study is looking for
- ✓Able and willing to provide written agreement to take part
- ✓Age: 18 years or older
- ✓Clinical diagnosis: Persistent atrial fibrillation
- ✓Treatment status: Scheduled to undergo first-time catheter ablation for persistent AF
Who cannot take part
- ✗Inability or unwillingness to provide agreement to take part
- ✗Under 18 years of age
- ✗Previous left atrial ablation for AF or other atrial arrhythmias
- ✗Any clinical contraindications to undergoing AF catheter ablation
See the full criteria
Where Is This Study? (1 UK site)
St Bartholomew's Hospital
London, United Kingdom
How to Get in Touch
Shohreh Honarbakhsh, MBBS, MRCP, PhD
Sponsor contactCONTACT
Sayed Al-Aidarous, MBBS, MRCP
Sponsor contactCONTACT