Screening for Atrial Fibrillation in Pulmonary Embolism Study -SAFE-PE Study

Danderyd Hospital

Status: Terminated

Conditions: Pulmonary Embolism; Atrial Fibrillation

Treatments: Device: 5 day ECG patch; Device: Zenicor intermittent ECG device

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03274401

SAFE-PE

Details and patient eligibility

About

Patients with newly diagnosed pulmonary embolism and high thromboembolic risk will be randomized to screening for atrial fibrillation or standard of care using intermittent ECG registration for at least two weeks.

Full description

Patients included in the study might be referred for an ultrasound of deep vein thrombosis unless this has already been performed. Blood will be drawn in a subset of patients to assess cardiac biomarkers, and stored in a biobank for further analysis of thrombotic biomarkers. If a computed tomography (CT) angiogram was used as diagnostic method for pulmonary embolism a radiologic review will be performed to assess presence of right atrium thrombus, with the reviewer will be blinded to the presence of atrial fibrillation (AF). In addition, an echocardiogram of the heart will be performed.

Many patients with pulmonary embolism have prolonged symptoms of dyspnoea, and palpitations. These symptoms are also described in patients with atrial fibrillation. All participants will be asked to fill out a standardized quality of life (RAND-36)-, and a symptoms questionnaire (modified European Heart Rhythm association symptom scale). Upon inclusion all patients will be reviewed for factors predisposing to PE such as recent surgery, or illness requiring immobilisation within the past three months prior to index event.

After inclusion patients will be randomised to screening for atrial fibrillation or standard of care. Participants who get randomised into the screening arm will be screened for AF using a validated, handheld ECG device at least twice daily for two weeks. Participants who get AF diagnosed during the study will be referred for appropriate cardiology follow-up and the anticoagulant therapy will be changed from a fixed time to continued (subject to yearly reviews). Patients will then be followed for five years using the Swedish death registry, and the Swedish national patient registry, in combination with the national prescription registry for the outcomes.

Enrollment: 90 patients

Sex: All

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Recent pulmonary embolism (within three months)

Fulfilling Chads-Vasc criteria for life-long oral anticoagulant therapy (2 points for men, and 3 points for women), or age > 65 years

Exclusion criteria

• Known diagnosis of atrial fibrillation Contra-indication to oral anticoagulant therapy Provoked pulmonary embolism in sub-segmental artery only Active cancer therapy (on-going therapy, recent surgery or life-expectancy below 1 year)

Trial design

Primary purpose: Screening

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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90 participants in 2 patient groups

Screening Arm

Active Comparator group

Description:

Screening for atrial fibrillation using a hand-held ECG device (Zenicor intermittent ECG) at least twice daily for two weeks. In patients where AF is detected prolonged OAC therapy will be administered.

Treatment:

Device: Zenicor intermittent ECG device

Device: 5 day ECG patch

Control Arm

No Intervention group

Description:

Standard of care