High Radiofrequency Power for Faster and Safer Pulmonary Vein Ablation Trial (POWER FAST III)

High-power Short-duration Radiofrequency Application for Faster and Safer Pulmonary Vein Ablation Trial (POWER FAST III Trial)

Multicenter 1:1 randomized study. Two atrial fibrillation ablation strategies are compared: 1) conventional ablation using point-by-point radiofrequency applications with power 40 W guided by LSI > 6 or AI > 500 on the anterior aspect of pulmonary veins and power 25 W guided by LSI >5 or AI >350 on the posterior wall near the esophagus; 2) point-by-point RF applications with power set at 70 W and duration 9-10 s. The main objective of the trial is the incidence of esophageal lesions evaluated with systematic endoscopy and clinical efficacy evaluated with daily ECG transtelephonic transmissions during 1-year follow-up. Secondary objectives include total RF time and parameters of acute PV isolation efficacy (first-pass isolation, acute reconnections and dormant conduction).

Multicenter 1:1 randomized study: Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid; Hospital Clínico Universitario San Carlos, Madrid; Hospital Clínico y Provincial de Barcelona, Barcelona; Complejo Hospitalario de Navarra, Pamplona; Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valladolid; Hospital Clínico Universitario de Albacete; Hospital Clínico Universitario de Alicante; Hospital Universitario Virgen de las Nieves, Granada; Hospital La Fe, Valencia; Hospital Clínico de Valencia; Hospital Universitario Juan Ramón Jiménez, Huelva; Hospital de la Ribera, Alzira, Valencia. España. Spain.

Two atrial fibrillation ablation strategies are compared: 1) conventional ablation using point-by-point radiofrequency applications with power 40 W guided by LSI > 6 or AI > 500 on the anterior aspect of pulmonary veins and power 25-40 W guided by LSI >5 or AI >350 on the posterior wall near the esophagus; 2) point-by-point RF applications with power set at 70 W and duration 9-10 s.

The main objective of the trial is the incidence of esophageal lesions evaluated with systematic endoscopy and clinical efficacy evaluated with daily ECG transtelephonic transmissions during 1-year follow-up. Secondary objectives include total RF time and parameters of acute PV isolation efficacy (first-pass isolation, acute reconnections and dormant conduction).

Subestudy: asymptomatic cerebral lesions detected by 1,5 T MRI <72 h after ablation. Not all centers participate in the subestydy. However, if the center participates, all patients in both ablation groups will be included in the subestudy.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Paroxysmal or persistent atrial fibrillation.
• Currently accepted class I or II indication for ablation according to practice guidelines: symptomatic arrhythmia, failure of at least 1 antiarrhythmic drug or patient's manifest preference of ablation instead of drugs.
• Age > 18 years.
• Acceptance of informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Previous pulmonary veins ablation of any type.
• Permanent atrial fibrillation or long-standing persistent AF (>1 year).
• Heart surgery <3 months before ablation.
• Coronary revascularization of any type <3 months before ablation.
• Myocardial infarction or acute coronary syndrome < 3 months before ablation.
• Stroke or transient cerebral ischaemic attack < 3 months before ablation.
• Persistent left atrial thrombus.
• Contraindication for anticoagulation.
• Absolute indication of double antiplatelet drugs.
• Complex congenital heart disease, corrected or not.
• Any clinical situation absolutely precluding an interventional procedure.