EPIC-AF Trial
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Pulmonary vein isolation vs endo-epicardial linear ablation for persistent atrial fibrillation: a randomized multicentre trial.
IRAS ID
325018
Contact name
John Silberbauer
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust
ISRCTN Number
ISRCTN18419796
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common clinical cardiac rhythm disturbance affecting 1 in 200 people regardless of age. The underlying mechanism has been much debated, and this in part is likely to affect success rates in the treatment of AF. At present, standard care involves a procedure called an ablation. Small burn marks are made inside the heart in an attempt to correct the irregular heart beat. Unfortunately the success rate for treatment is around 50% for patients with persistent AF. At present, maps of electrical activation and ablation treatment are only undertaken within the heart chamber. Some areas of heart muscle are very thick, and it can be difficult to achieve ablation through the full thickness of the muscle,
which is the desired effect. In addition to this standard care, we aim to produce maps and deliver ablation treatment to the outside of the heart surface. This technique to treat both sides of the heart has been done for different heart rhythm problems with good effect.REC name
London - Hampstead Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
23/LO/0524
Date of REC Opinion
21 Jun 2023
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion