{"title":"Pulmonary vein isolation and low-voltage area ablation in sinus rhythm for persistent atrial fibrillation: The SCAR-AF randomized trial","authors":"Antoine Lepillier MD , Julien Pineau MD , Akli Otmani MD , Cyril Durand MD , Xavier Waintraub MD , Cyril Zakine MD , Marjorie Niro MD , Ghassan Moubarak MD , Alexandre Zhao MD , Clément Bars MD , Nicolas Badenco MD , William Escande MD , Gilles Macaluso MD , Olivier Piot MD, MSc","doi":"10.1016/j.hrthm.2025.05.064","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div><span>Targeting low-voltage areas (LVAs) in addition to pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) can improve ablation outcome in </span>persistent atrial fibrillation (AF).</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>SCAR-AF was a multicenter, prospective, randomized trial, evaluating LVA ablation plus PVI for persistent AF.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Patients with de novo persistent AF were recruited (9 referral centers in France) into the SCAR-AF study (September 2019 to August 2021). Patients without LVA were treated with PVI alone (PVI–), and those with LVA were randomized to either PVI alone (PVI+) or PVI plus LVA ablation (PVI + LVA). The primary outcome was freedom from atrial arrhythmias (AF/atrial tachycardia) after a single procedure.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>A total of 211 patients (73.5% men, mean ± standard deviation age 63.8 ± 9.3 years, CHA<sub>2</sub>DS<sub>2</sub>-VASc score 2.1, long-standing AF 44.5%) were included. At 18-month follow-up, the incidence of atrial-arrhythmia-free survival did not differ between groups (79.0% in PVI–, 75.7% in PVI+, and 73.1% in PVI + LVA; PVI– vs PVI+, hazard ratio (HR) 1.28, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.64–2.55, <em>P</em> = .48; PVI+ vs PVI + LVA, HR 1.28; 95% CI 0.67–2.45, <em>P</em> = .45). On multivariable analysis, presence of LVA was associated with advancing age (HR 1.11, 95% CI 1.06–1.16, <em>P</em><span> < .001) and was inversely correlated with body mass index (HR 0.93, 95% CI 0.87–0.99, </span><em>P</em> = .029) and smoking.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>In this randomized trial, PVI plus LVA ablation did not improve outcomes in patients with persistent AF. LVA may represent a marker of atrial cardiomyopathy, but its presence does not seem to be an effective target in persistent AF.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12886,"journal":{"name":"Heart rhythm","volume":"22 10","pages":"Pages e858-e865"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7000,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Heart rhythm","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1547527125025251","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"CARDIAC & CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEMS","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background
Targeting low-voltage areas (LVAs) in addition to pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) can improve ablation outcome in persistent atrial fibrillation (AF).
Objective
SCAR-AF was a multicenter, prospective, randomized trial, evaluating LVA ablation plus PVI for persistent AF.
Methods
Patients with de novo persistent AF were recruited (9 referral centers in France) into the SCAR-AF study (September 2019 to August 2021). Patients without LVA were treated with PVI alone (PVI–), and those with LVA were randomized to either PVI alone (PVI+) or PVI plus LVA ablation (PVI + LVA). The primary outcome was freedom from atrial arrhythmias (AF/atrial tachycardia) after a single procedure.
Results
A total of 211 patients (73.5% men, mean ± standard deviation age 63.8 ± 9.3 years, CHA2DS2-VASc score 2.1, long-standing AF 44.5%) were included. At 18-month follow-up, the incidence of atrial-arrhythmia-free survival did not differ between groups (79.0% in PVI–, 75.7% in PVI+, and 73.1% in PVI + LVA; PVI– vs PVI+, hazard ratio (HR) 1.28, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.64–2.55, P = .48; PVI+ vs PVI + LVA, HR 1.28; 95% CI 0.67–2.45, P = .45). On multivariable analysis, presence of LVA was associated with advancing age (HR 1.11, 95% CI 1.06–1.16, P < .001) and was inversely correlated with body mass index (HR 0.93, 95% CI 0.87–0.99, P = .029) and smoking.
Conclusion
In this randomized trial, PVI plus LVA ablation did not improve outcomes in patients with persistent AF. LVA may represent a marker of atrial cardiomyopathy, but its presence does not seem to be an effective target in persistent AF.
期刊介绍:
HeartRhythm, the official Journal of the Heart Rhythm Society and the Cardiac Electrophysiology Society, is a unique journal for fundamental discovery and clinical applicability.
HeartRhythm integrates the entire cardiac electrophysiology (EP) community from basic and clinical academic researchers, private practitioners, engineers, allied professionals, industry, and trainees, all of whom are vital and interdependent members of our EP community.
The Heart Rhythm Society is the international leader in science, education, and advocacy for cardiac arrhythmia professionals and patients, and the primary information resource on heart rhythm disorders. Its mission is to improve the care of patients by promoting research, education, and optimal health care policies and standards.