Partnerstudie AF-B-STEP

Project design

Currently, AF is mostly diagnosed as simple “yes” or “no”, which lacks precision and often leads to confusion or anxiety in patients, especially when minor episodes are detected by pacemakers or by wearables, such as smartwatches.

Recent findings show that the actual atrial fibrillation burden — that is, the amount of time individual patients spend in atrial fibrillation — plays a crucial role.

AF-B-STEP is an international research project that brings together hospitals, universities, scientific institutions, industry partners, patient groups, and healthcare payers to improve the detection, quantification, and treatment of atrial fibrillation. The consortium consists of 18 international partners and will analyze data from more than 100,000 people to

• estimate the population-wide burden of AF,
• identify which types of AF pose the greatest risk, and
• determine how AF burden increases likelihood of stroke or heart failure.

It will also establish standards for how medical devices and consumer wearables should measure and report AF.

The findings will help clinicians make informed decisions on diagnosis and treatment, support better healthcare decisions, and guide European innovation and regulation. Ultimately, AF-B-STEP aims to reduce AF-related deaths and disability, improve the patients’ quality of life, and lower healthcare costs.

The project is coordinated by the Department of Cardiology at the University Heart and Vascular Center of the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, together with the Medtronic Bakken Research Center in Maastricht. The Atrial Fibrillation Network (AFNET) is part of the consortium and leads Work Package 1, “Dissemination, Exploitation and Communication,” while also contributing to other work packages.