NCT04298723

Comparison of LAA-Closure vs Oral Anticoagulation in Patients With NVAF and Status Post Intracranial Bleeding.

Randomized Comparison of Interventional Closure of the Left Atrial Appendage Using a LAA Closure Device Versus Oral Anticoagulation Therapy in Patients With Non-valvular Atrial Fibrillation and Status Post Intracranial Bleeding.

• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 530 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Jena University Hospital · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

Atrial fibrillation is the most common cardiac arrhythmia. In atrial fibrillation, there is a risk that clots can form in the heart, especially in the left atrium. If these clots come loose, there is a risk of stroke. To prevent strokes, patients with atrial fibrillation and status post ICB can be treated with anticoagulants. This medication therapy prevents blood clots from forming in the heart, but can also cause bleeding. Another therapy option is the occlusion of the left atrium. After closure of the left atrium, only a short anticoagulation therapy is necessary until the occluder has healed. The aim of the study is to compare these two treatment approaches. In this study only already approved drugs and occlusion systems will be used.

Detailed description

Within the current trial, two novel strategies are tested in a randomized fashion in patients with atrial fibrillation and status post intracranial bleeding. Patients with ICH were usually excluded from the large NOAC trials and were also not representatively included in the large Watchman device trials. On the other hand, registries show that there is a significant proportion of patients with status post ICH that were implanted with a LAA closure device in clinical routine, and also there are those patients treated with NOAC due to their high stroke risk, despite the risk of recurrent ICH. Both therapies, NOAC and LAA closure are effective in preventing stroke in patients with AF at high risk for stroke. Also, for both therapies there is evidence for prevention of bleedings, especially intracranial bleeding events. Patients within the LAA closure group will have the chance after successful closure of the LAA to quit oral anticoagulation medication and therefore reduce their lifetime risk for bleeding and recurrent bleeding. Patients in the NOAC group are provided with an excellent protection against stroke and a significant reduced bleeding risk compared to Vitamin K antagonist therapy. The trial will help to develop data and hopefully guidelines for management of patients with AF and status post intracranial bleedings. It may help to give physicians data to therapy patients post ICH adequately and help to reduce mortality rates in those patients.

Conditions

• Intracranial Hemorrhages
• Atrial Fibrillation (AF)
• Atrial Flutter

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DEVICE	Percutaneous closure of the LAA (Watchman / Watchman FLX)	LAA closure procedure will be done by experienced operators according to the local SOP. LAA closure will be performed under fluoroscopic and TEE guidance within conscious sedation or general anesthesia. Antibiotic single-shot prophylaxis should be administered peri-procedurally (i.e., cefazolin 2 g). The specific anatomy of the LAA is evaluated and an appropriately sized CE-marked device (Watchman or Watchman FLX) is deployed. LAA angiography and TEE imaging is performed to identify optimal positioning of the device and to exclude a relevant leak. Following device deployment, patients will receive a therapy according to the manufacturers IFU, currently Aspirin and clopidogrel for 3 months followed by single Aspirin up to 12 months. Alternatively, 3 months of NOAC followed by Aspirin monotherapy up to 12 months are possible.

Timeline

• Start date: 2020-06-16
• Primary completion: 2029-06-01
• Completion: 2029-12-01
• First posted: 2020-03-06
• Last updated: 2025-09-02

Locations

33 sites across 2 countries: Germany, Poland

Regulatory

• FDA-regulated device study