title: A clinical and health-economic evaluation of pulmonary vein encircling ablation compared with antiarrhythmic drug treatment in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation (Catheter Ablation for the Cure of Atrial Fibrillation-2 study).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Catheter Ablation for the Cure of Atrial Fibrillation 2 study is a prospective, randomized trial aimed to demonstrate the efficacy of catheter ablation with combined lesions in the right and left atria, in preventing atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrences among patients with recurrent persistent AF refractory to one antiarrhythmic drug, in comparison with the best pharmacological therapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Enrolment is limited to patients aged between 18 and 70 years who have experienced at least one documented relapse of persistent AF during antiarrhythmic drug therapy. One hundred and twenty-six patients will be randomized to ablation or antiarrhythmic drug therapy in a 2 : 1 manner. In the ablation group, the patients will undergo right and left atrial linear ablation. Control group patients will be treated with the best antiarrhythmic drug. After an initial blanking period of 2 months patients will be followed for 24 months. Primary endpoint of the study is the absence of documented persistent atrial tachyarrhythmias relapse during the first 24 months after the blanking period. Enrolment is scheduled in 14 centres in Italy, UK, Austria, and Finland. Seventy-two patients have currently been enrolled.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study will provide important data about the efficacy of catheter ablation in comparison with antiarrhythmic drugs for the treatment of persistent AF.
authors.affiliation: Ospedale Civile, Mirano, Italy. bertagliaferro@alice.it
authors.forename: Emanuele
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bertaglia
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Stabile
authors.forename: Gaetano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Senatore
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Colella
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Del Greco
authors.forename: Heinz
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Goessinger
authors.forename: Filippo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lamberti
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lowe
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mantovan
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Peters
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pratola
authors.forename: Pekka
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Raatikainen
authors.forename: Pietro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Turco
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Verlato
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011667:Pulmonary Veins; D012107:Research Design; D055502:Secondary Prevention
chemical_list: D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents