ArticleCirculation. Arrhythmia and electrophysiology2026
Post-Catheter Ablation Long-Term Antithrombotic Strategies in Atrial Fibrillation: A Network Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.
Article in Circulation. Arrhythmia and electrophysiology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
What it found
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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.
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.
Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
- Anticoagulation discontinuation after atrial fibrillation ablation: reassuring data, but for whom?Indian pacing and electrophysiology journalArticle
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundCatheter ablation for atrial fibrillation is a widely used rhythm-control strategy, yet its role in reducing thromboembolic risk and enabling oral anticoagulation (OAC) discontinuation remains uncertain. This meta-analysis aims to comprehensively synthesize and evaluate randomized controlled trial evidence supporting long-term antithrombotic strategies in patients with atrial fibrillation undergoing catheter ablation.
methodsA systematic literature search was performed in MEDLINE/PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials to identify randomized controlled trials evaluating antithrombotic strategies after catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation. The primary outcome was ischemic stroke. A frequentist network meta-analysis comparing reported treatment arms, along with a pooled incidence meta-analysis for outcomes of interest, was conducted.
resultsFour randomized controlled trials, including 3924 patients, met the inclusion criteria. Three trials compared long-term OAC continuation versus OAC discontinuation, and 1 compared OAC continuation with left atrial appendage occlusion after catheter ablation. No significant differences in stroke incidence were observed when comparing OAC or left atrial appendage occlusion with no antithrombotic therapy (incidence rate ratio, 0.90 [95% CI, 0.02-33.85];
conclusionsThis analysis reinforces that, across randomized data, the incidence of thromboembolic events in patients who discontinued OAC after successful ablation remained low. However, the evaluation of net clinical benefit is limited by the low number of events across all treatment arms, underscoring the need for larger studies with prolonged follow-up to further validate the safety of this strategy, particularly in higher-risk populations.
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Registered trials
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