Evidence map›Paper›PMID 31377792›Full record

ReviewEuropace : European pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac electrophysiology : journal of the working groups on cardiac pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac cellular electrophysiology of the European Society of Cardiology2019

Atrial high-rate episodes: prevalence, stroke risk, implications for management, and clinical gaps in evidence.

Emanuele Bertaglia, Benjamin Blank, Carina Blomström-Lundqvist, Axel Brandes, Nuno Cabanelas, G-Andrei Dan, Wolfgang Dichtl, Andreas Goette, Joris R de Groot, Andrzej Lubinski and 10 more

Registry-linked trialOpen access · bronzeAbstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Europace : European pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac electrophysiology : journal of the working groups on cardiac pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac cellular electrophysiology of the European Society of Cardiology, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT02618577 (Non-vitamin K Antagonist Oral Anticoagulants in Patients With Atrial High Rate Episodes - An Investigator-driven, Prospective, Randomised, Double-blind, Multi-centre Trial Initiated by the European Society of Cardiology and AFNET), which is not on this map. Cited by 35 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
35citing papers in PubMed
6.4field-weighted citation impact, top 3% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT02618577 phase3terminatednot on this map

Non-vitamin K Antagonist Oral Anticoagulants in Patients With Atrial High Rate Episodes - An Investigator-driven, Prospective, Randomised, Double-blind, Multi-centre Trial Initiated by the European Society of Cardiology and AFNET

TypeinterventionalSponsorAtrial Fibrillation NetworkRan2016 to 2022Enrolled2,608ConditionsAtrial High Rate EpisodesArmsEdoxaban, ASA
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

35 citing papers in PubMed, 76 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Closed loop stimulation reduces the incidence of atrial high-rate episodes compared with conventional rate-adaptive pacing in patients with sinus node dysfunctions.Europace : European pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac electrophysiology : journal of the working groups on cardiac pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac cellular electrophysiology of the European Society of Cardiology · 2024
    Trial
  2. Characteristics of patients with atrial high rate episodes detected by implanted defibrillator and resynchronization devices.Europace : European pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac electrophysiology : journal of the working groups on cardiac pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac cellular electrophysiology of the European Society of Cardiology · 2022
    Trial
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Brazilian Atrial Fibrillation Guidelines - 2025.Arquivos brasileiros de cardiologia · 2025
    Article
  6. Review
  7. Review
  8. Article
  9. Observational
  10. Article
  11. Article
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  13. Innovative approaches to atrial fibrillation prediction: should polygenic scores and machine learning be implemented in clinical practice?Europace : European pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac electrophysiology : journal of the working groups on cardiac pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac cellular electrophysiology of the European Society of Cardiology · 2024
    Review
  14. Review
  15. Article
  16. Article
  17. Review
  18. Should all electrocardiography be ambulatory?Netherlands heart journal : monthly journal of the Netherlands Society of Cardiology and the Netherlands Heart Foundation · 2023
    Article
  19. Atrial fibrillation and stroke prevention: 25 years of research at EP Europace journal.Europace : European pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac electrophysiology : journal of the working groups on cardiac pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac cellular electrophysiology of the European Society of Cardiology · 2023
    Review
  20. The influence of atrial high-rate episodes on stroke and cardiovascular death: an update.Europace : European pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac electrophysiology : journal of the working groups on cardiac pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac cellular electrophysiology of the European Society of Cardiology · 2023
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

20 authors at 19 institutions in 18 countries.

Emanuele BertagliaDepartment of Cardiac, Vascular and Thoracic Sciences, Azienda Ospedaliera, Padua, Italy.
Benjamin BlankAtrial Fibrillation NETwork (AFNET), Muenster, Germany.
Carina Blomström-LundqvistDepartment of Medical Science, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
Axel BrandesDepartment of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
Nuno CabanelasArrhythmias Unit of Cardiology Department, Hospital Prof. Dr. Fernando Fonseca, Amadora-Sintra, Portugal.
G-Andrei DanColentina University Hospital, Medicine University "Carol Davila", Bucharest, Romania.
Wolfgang DichtlUniversity Hospital of Internal Medicine III, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
Andreas GoetteAtrial Fibrillation NETwork (AFNET), Muenster, Germany.
Joris R de GrootDepartment of Cardiology, Heart Center, Amsterdam University Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Andrzej LubinskiDepartment of Interventional Cardiology and Arrhythmias, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland.
Eloi MarijonCardiac Electrophysiology Section, European Georges Pompidou Hospital, Paris, France.
Béla MerkelyHeart and Vascular Center, Semmelweis University Budapest, Budapest, Hungary.
Lluis MontCardiovascular Clinical Institute, Hospital Clinic, Universitat de Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
Christopher PiorkowskiHerzzentrum Dresden GmbH, Universitätsklinikum, Dresden, Germany.
Andrea SarkozyUniversitair Ziekenhuis Antwerpen, Edegem, Belgium.
Neil SulkeEastbourne District General Hospital, Eastbourne, UK.
Panos VardasHeart Sector, Hygeia Group Hospitals, Athens, Greece.
Vasil VelchevCardiology Clinic, St. Anna University Hospital, Medical University Sofia, Sofia, Bulgaria.
Dan WichterleInstitute for Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Prague, Czech Republic.
Paulus KirchhofAtrial Fibrillation NETwork (AFNET), Muenster, Germany.
Atrial Fibrillation NETwork · DEAmsterdam University Medical Centers · NLAntwerp University Hospital · BEAzienda Ospedale - Università Padova · ITCarol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy · RODeutsches Herzzentrum der Charité · DEEastbourne District General Hospital · GBHôpital Européen Georges-Pompidou · FRHospital Prof. Dr. Fernando Fonseca · PTHygeia Hospital · GRInstitute of Clinical and Experimental Medicine · CZMedical University of Lodz · PLMedical University of Sofia · BGSandwell & West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust · GBSemmelweis University · HUUniversitat de Barcelona · ESUniversity Hospital Innsbruck · ATUniversity of Southern Denmark · DKUppsala University · SE

Funding

British Heart Foundation FS/13/43/30324British Heart Foundation PG/17/30/32961
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Self-terminating atrial arrhythmias are commonly detected on continuous rhythm monitoring, e.g. by pacemakers or defibrillators. It is unclear whether the presence of these arrhythmias has therapeutic consequences. We sought to summarize evidence on the prevalence of atrial high-rate episodes (AHREs) and their impact on risk of stroke. We performed a comprehensive, tabulated review of published literature on the prevalence of AHRE. In patients with AHRE, but without atrial fibrillation (AF), we reviewed the stroke risk and the potential risk/benefit of oral anticoagulation. Atrial high-rate episodes are found in 10-30% of AF-free patients. Presence of AHRE slightly increases stroke risk (0.8% to 1%/year) compared with patients without AHRE. Atrial high-rate episode of longer duration (e.g. those >24 h) could be associated with a higher stroke risk. Oral anticoagulation has the potential to reduce stroke risk in patients with AHRE but is associated with a rate of major bleeding of 2%/year. Oral anticoagulation is not effective in patients with heart failure or survivors of a stroke without AF. It remains unclear whether anticoagulation is effective and safe in patients with AHRE. Atrial high-rate episodes are common and confer a slight increase in stroke risk. There is true equipoise on the best way to reduce stroke risk in patients with AHRE. Two ongoing trials (NOAH-AFNET 6 and ARTESiA) will provide much-needed information on the effectiveness and safety of oral anticoagulation using non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants in patients with AHRE.

Indexed as

AnticoagulantsAtrial FibrillationGlobal HealthHeart AtriaHeart RateHumansPrevalenceRisk AssessmentRisk FactorsStrokeAnticoagulantsAnticoagulationAtrial fibrillationAtrial high-rate episodesContinuous monitoringPacemakerStroke

Identifiers

PMID31377792
PMCPMC6788209
OpenAlexW2964500484

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.