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ArticleNetherlands heart journal : monthly journal of the Netherlands Society of Cardiology and the Netherlands Heart Foundation2026

Atrial cardiomyopathy: from knowledge gaps to clinical impact : The role of the EmbRACE Network.

Nick L van Vreeswijk, Zarina Habibi, Sander van Doorn, Joris R de Groot, Monika Stoll, Daniël A Pijnappels, Jordi Heijman, Robert G Tieleman, Ron Pisters, Martin E W Hemels and 5 more

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Article in Netherlands heart journal : monthly journal of the Netherlands Society of Cardiology and the Netherlands Heart Foundation, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

15 authors.

Nick L van VreeswijkDepartment of Cardiology, University of Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands. n.l.van.vreeswijk@umcg.nl.
Zarina HabibiDepartment of Physiology, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM), Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Sander van DoornJulius Centre for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Joris R de GrootHeart Centre, Department of Clinical and Experimental Cardiology, Amsterdam University Medical Centres, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Monika StollDepartment of Biochemistry, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Daniël A PijnappelsLaboratory of Experimental Cardiology, Department of Cardiology, Heart Lung Centre Leiden, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands.
Jordi HeijmanGottfried Schatz Research Center, Division of Medical Physics and Biophysics, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
Robert G TielemanDepartment of Cardiology, University of Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Ron PistersDepartment of Cardiology, Rijnstate Hospital, Arnhem, The Netherlands.
Martin E W HemelsDepartment of Cardiology, Rijnstate Hospital, Arnhem, The Netherlands.
Fleur V Y TjongHeart Centre, Department of Clinical and Experimental Cardiology, Amsterdam University Medical Centres, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Ulrich SchottenDepartment of Cardiology, Maastricht UMC+, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Michiel RienstraDepartment of Cardiology, University of Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Geert-Jan GeersingJulius Centre for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Jelle C L HimmelreichDepartment of General Practice, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Funding

Hartstichting 01-002-2022-0118 EmbRACE
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAtrial cardiomyopathy (AtCM) is increasingly recognised as an underlying atrial substrate contributing to atrial fibrillation (AF), heart failure (HF), and cardio-embolic stroke. However, diagnostic criteria, disease thresholds, and targeted treatment strategies remain poorly defined.

objectiveTo describe the rationale, structure, and translational strategy of the EmbRACE (Electro-Molecular Basis and the theRapeutic management of Atrial Cardiomyopathy, fibrillation and associated outcomEs) network, a national consortium established to address key knowledge gaps in AtCM.

methodsEmbRACE integrates mechanistic research, computational modelling, clinical trials, and implementation science within seven interconnected work packages. Human atrial tissue biobanking and deep phenotyping (WP1) enable molecular profiling of candidate pathways (WP2), which are validated in experimental models (WP3). Computational modelling and artificial intelligence (WP4) integrate multimodal clinical and biological data to derive composite AtCM phenotypes and severity frameworks. Substrate-targeting clinical trials evaluate AF ablation (RACE X; WP5), weight reduction using GLP‑1 agonists (DUTCH-WAIST; WP6), and optimised rate control using calcium channel antagonists (SMART-VERAPAF; WP6). Implementation science (WP7) focuses on guideline integration, decision-support tools, and governance of AI-based risk models. EmbRACE establishes a translational pipeline from mechanistic discovery to clinical application. By integrating tissue-level insights with multimodal risk modelling and interventional trials, the consortium aims to define clinically meaningful AtCM thresholds, to validate indirect markers, and to determine whether targeted treatment modifies disease progression and clinical outcomes.

conclusionEmbRACE provides a multidisciplinary framework to transform AtCM from a theoretical construct into a clinically actionable entity, enabling earlier detection, improved risk stratification, and AtCM-directed therapy in cardiovascular prevention.

Indexed as

Artificial IntelligenceAtrial FibrillationBiomarkersCardiomyopathiesCatheter AblationHeart FailureStrokeTranslational Medical Research

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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.