Pressemitteilung

AI-driven analysis of atrial fibrillation burden in pacemaker patients reveals no effect of AF burden on stroke

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An analysis of the NOAH – AFNET 6 trial used large language models to extract AF burden from pacemaker data in patients with device-detected atrial fibrillation. This approach enables to evaluate the impact of AF burden on cardiovascular outcome and on the effectiveness and safety of anticoagulation in pacemaker patients. The AF burden in the population was 0.4%, with 20% of patients showing a baseline AF burden of more than 1%. In these patients, there was no effect of AF burden on stroke or other cardiovascular events. Today, the findings were presented by AFNET board member Prof. Ulrich Schotten, Maastricht, as a hotline at the Heart Rhythm congress 2026 in Chicago (1).

Kidney disease increases the risk of cardiovascular events in patients with device-detected atrial fibrillation

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A prespecified analysis of the NOAH – AFNET 6 trial investigated the impact of kidney function on cardiovascular outcome in patients with device-detected atrial fibrillation. Today, the findings were presented by AFNET board member Prof. Andreas Goette, St. Vincenz Hospital, Paderborn, Germany, at the annual congress of the European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA) in Paris and published in the EP Europace journal (1,2).

AF-B STEP: Global collaboration to reduce the burden of atrial fibrillation and advance quantification and treatment

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Atrial fibrillation (AF) affects millions of people worldwide – yet the condition is rarely quantified upon diagnosis. The international research project AF-B-STEP aims to change this: for the first time, it will systematically assess how much time individuals spend in AF, expressed as their AF burden, and determine the extent to which the AF burden influences the risk of stroke, heart failure and other aspects of patients´ lives.

Transforming Atrial Fibrillation Management by Targeting Comorbidities and Reducing Atrial Fibrillation Burden – an AFNET/EHRA position paper

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Patient:innen mit einem akuten Schlaganfall und gleichzeitig bestehendem Vorhofflimmern haben ein besonders hohes Risiko für einen erneuten Schlaganfall und andere schwerwiegende kardiovaskuläre Ereignisse. In einer europaweiten klinischen Studie unter Leitung von Wissenschaftler:innen des Universitätsklinikums Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE) wird jetzt  geprüft, ob eine frühe rhythmuserhaltende Behandlung Schlaganfälle effektiv und sicher verhindern kann.  Die EU fördert das Projekt in den kommenden sechs Jahren mit sieben Millionen Euro.

AF burden on early rhythm control modulates patient outcomes

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An analysis of patient-operated ECGs from the EAST – AFNET 4 trial revealed: A low AF burden below 6% in the first year of early rhythm control therapy was associated with low cardiovascular event rates during the subsequent 4 years of follow-up. Patients with a higher AF burden on early rhythm control suffered more AF-related events. Today the findings were presented by AFNET board member Prof. Ulrich Schotten, Maastricht University, in a hotline session at the annual congress of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) in Madrid (1,2).

Anticoagulation in patients with device-detected atrial fibrillation remains individual decision

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A Win Ratio analysis confirmed the primary result of the NOAH – AFNET 6 trial and did not find an advantage of anticoagulation with edoxaban over no anticoagulation in patients with device-detected atrial fibrillation. Clinical decisions should therefore be guided by individual factors. The findings were presented by Dr. Nina Becher, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany, in a hotline session at the annual congress of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) in Madrid. (1,2)

New treatment option for acute stroke in atrial fibrillation in a clinical trial

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Patients with an acute stroke and atrial fibrillation have a particularly high risk of a recurrent stroke and other serious cardiovascular events. A Europe-wide clinical trial led by scientists from the University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE) is now investigating whether early rhythm-control treatment can effectively and safely prevent strokes.

Does early catheter ablation improve outcomes in patients with atrial fibrillation and comorbidities?

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Many patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) experience stroke, cardiovascular death and other cardiovascular complications. Early rhythm control can prevent some of these events but is often withheld from elderly patients with multiple comorbidities. Catheter ablation is the most effective rhythm-controlling therapy but has mainly been tested in younger patients. The German Atrial Fibrillation Network (AFNET) initiated the EASThigh – AFNET 11 trial to investigate whether early catheter ablation can reduce outcomes in patients with AF and comorbidities. EASThigh – AFNET 11 enrolled the first patient on 14.10.2024.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) epidemic affects the health of a growing number of people worldwide. Patients with AF are at risk of stroke, heart failure, death and dementia. Many patients develop AF in old age, and older people with cardiovascular comorbidities are at highest risk of AF-related complications.

Device-detected atrial fibrillation: Anticoagulation may have greater benefit in patients with vascular disease

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A combined subgroup analysis of the similar trials NOAH – AFNET 6 (1) and ARTESiA (2) revealed: Patients with device-detected atrial fibrillation and concomitant vascular disease are at higher risk of stroke and cardiovascular events and may derive a greater benefit from oral anticoagulation than those without vascular disease. The finding was presented by AFNET Steering Committee member Prof. Renate Schnabel, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany, at the annual congress of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) in London on 02.09.2024 and published in the European Heart Journal (3).

Device-detected atrial fibrillation (DDAF) are short and typically rare episodes of atrial fibrillation (AF) detected by pacemakers, defibrillators, or implanted loop recorders. Device-detected atrial fibrillation is found in every fifth patient with a cardiac implanted electronic device (4). Device-detected atrial fibrillation can lead to stroke, but the stroke risk in patients with device-detected atrial fibrillation appears lower than the stroke risk in patients with ECG-documented atrial fibrillation (1%/year).