Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37354453›Full record

ArticleEuropace : European pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac electrophysiology : journal of the working groups on cardiac pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac cellular electrophysiology of the European Society of Cardiology2023

Real-world utilization of the pill-in-the-pocket method for terminating episodes of atrial fibrillation: data from the multinational Antiarrhythmic Interventions for Managing Atrial Fibrillation (AIM-AF) survey.

James A Reiffel, Carina Blomström-Lundqvist, Giuseppe Boriani, Andreas Goette, Peter R Kowey, Jose L Merino, Jonathan P Piccini, Sanjeev Saksena, A John Camm

Open access · hybridAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article 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, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed
2.6field-weighted citation impact, top 9% 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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

8 citing papers in PubMed, 12 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Flecainide acetate inhalation solution for cardioversion of recent-onset, symptomatic atrial fibrillation: results of the phase 3 RESTORE-1 trial.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 · 2025
    Trial
  2. Trial
  3. Observational
  4. Article
  5. Practical compendium of antiarrhythmic drugs: a clinical consensus statement of the European Heart Rhythm Association of the European Society of Cardiology.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 · 2025
    Review
  6. Flecainide and atrial fibrillation cardioversion: what solutions at present and in the near future?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 · 2025
    Article
  7. Evolution in electrophysiology 100 years after Einthoven: translational and computational innovations in rhythm control of atrial fibrillation.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
  8. Antiarrhythmic drugs in the era of atrial fibrillation ablation.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
    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

9 authors at 9 institutions in 6 countries.

James A ReiffelDepartment of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians & Surgeons, c/o 202 Birkdale Lane, New York, NY 33458, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-5505-1866
Carina Blomström-LundqvistDepartment of Cardiology, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden.ORCID 0000-0003-2806-3903
Giuseppe BorianiDivision of Cardiology, Department of Biomedical, Metabolic, and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Del Pozzo71, 41124 Moderna, Italy.ORCID 0000-0002-9820-4815
Andreas GoetteSt. Vincenz Hospital, Am Busdorf 2 33098, Paderborn, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-8223-7209
Peter R KoweySidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, 1015 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-7189-1638
Jose L MerinoChief, Arrhythmia & Robotic EP Unit, La Paz University Hospital, and Professor of Cardiology, Universidad Autonoma, IDIPAZ, Madrid, Spain.ORCID 0000-0002-1737-1903
Jonathan P PicciniDuke University, Duke Clinical Research Institute, 300 West Morgan Street, Durham, NC 27701, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-0772-2404
Sanjeev SaksenaRutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-6282-6420
A John CammSt George's University Hospitals, Blackshaw Road, Tooting London SW17 0QT, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-2536-2871
Columbia University · USDuke University · USHospital Universitario La Paz · ESRutgers, The State University of New Jersey · USSt George's Hospital · GBSt. Vincenz-Krankenhaus Limburg · DEThomas Jefferson University · USUniversity of Modena and Reggio Emilia · ITUppsala University Hospital · SE

Funding

Sanofi
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

aimsAtrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained arrhythmia encountered in clinical practice. Episodes may stop spontaneously (paroxysmal AF); may terminate only via intervention (persistent AF); or may persist indefinitely (permanent AF) (see European and American guidelines, referenced below, for more precise definitions). Recently, there has been renewed interest in an approach to terminate AF acutely referred to as 'pill-in-the-pocket' (PITP). The PITP is recognized in both the US and European guidelines as an effective option using an oral antiarrhythmic drug for acute conversion of acute/recent-onset AF. However, how PITP is currently used has not been systematically evaluated. METHODS AND

resultsThe recently published Antiarrhythmic Interventions for Managing Atrial Fibrillation (AIM-AF) survey included questions regarding current PITP usage, stratified by US vs. European countries surveyed, by representative countries within Europe, and by cardiologists vs. electrophysiologists. This manuscript presents the data from this planned sub-study. Our survey revealed that clinicians in both the USA and Europe consider PITP in about a quarter of their patients, mostly for recent-onset AF with minimal or no structural heart disease (guideline appropriate). However, significant deviations exist. See the Graphical abstract for a summary of the data.

conclusionOur findings highlight the frequent use of PITP and the need for further physician education about appropriate and optimal use of this strategy.

Indexed as

Anti-Arrhythmia AgentsAtrial FibrillationEuropeHumansAnti-Arrhythmia AgentsAtrial fibrillationCardioversionPharmacologicPill-in-the-pocketTermination

Identifiers

PMID37354453
PMCPMC10290490
OpenAlexW4381848501

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.