AIMS: This post hoc analysis of ELIMINATE-AF evaluated requirements of unfractionated heparin (UFH) and procedure-related bleeding in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients undergoing ablation with uninterrupted edoxaban or vitamin K antagonist (VKA) therapy. METHODS AND RESULTS: Patients were randomized 2:1 to once-daily edoxaban 60 mg (or dose-reduced 30 mg) or dose-adjusted VKA (target international normalized ratio: 2.0-3.0). Uninterrupted anticoagulation was mandated for 21-28 days' pre-ablation and 90 days' post-ablation. During ablation, UFH administration targeted an activated clotting time (ACT) of 300-400 s. Periprocedural bleeding was differentiated between procedure-related (bleeding at puncture side, cardiac tamponade) and unrelated events. Of 614 randomized patients, 553 received study drug and underwent catheter ablation (edoxaban n = 375; VKA n = 178). The median (Q1-Q3) time from last dose to ablation procedure was 14.8 (13.3-16.5) vs. 16.5 (14.8-19.5) h (edoxaban vs. VKA group, respectively). Mean ACT (SD) ≥300 s was observed in 52% edoxaban- vs. 76% VKA-treated patients, despite a higher mean (SD) UFH dose in the edoxaban vs. VKA group [14 261 (6397) IU vs. 11 473 (4300) IU; exploratory P-value < 0.0001]. In the edoxaban group, 13 patients (3.5%) had procedure-related bleeds of whom 9 had received an UFH dose above the median (13 000 IU). In the VKA arm, 7 patients (3.9%) had procedure-related bleeds of whom 3 had received an UFH dose above the median (10 225 IU). CONCLUSION: The rate of procedure-related major/clinically relevant non-major bleeding did not differ between the treatment arms despite higher doses of UFH used with edoxaban vs. VKA to achieve a target ACT during AF ablation.

• Keywords
• Ablation, Anticoagulant, Atrial fibrillation, Edoxaban, Non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants, Periprocedural anticoagulation,
• MeSH
• Anticoagulants adverse effects   MeSH
• Administration, Oral MeSH
• Atrial Fibrillation * diagnosis   drug therapy   surgery   MeSH
• Heparin adverse effects   MeSH
• Catheter Ablation * adverse effects   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Pyridines MeSH
• Thiazoles MeSH
• Vitamin K MeSH
• Treatment Outcome MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Randomized Controlled Trial MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Anticoagulants MeSH
• edoxaban MeSH Browser
• Heparin MeSH
• Pyridines MeSH
• Thiazoles MeSH
• Vitamin K MeSH

AIMS: Edoxaban is a direct factor Xa inhibitor approved for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation (AF). Uninterrupted edoxaban therapy in patients undergoing AF ablation has not been tested. METHODS AND RESULTS: The ELIMINATE-AF trial, a multinational, multicentre, randomized, open-label, parallel-group study, was conducted to assess the safety and efficacy of once-daily edoxaban 60 mg (30 mg in patients indicated for dose reduction) vs. vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) in AF patients undergoing catheter ablation. Patients were randomized 2:1 to edoxaban vs. VKA. The primary endpoint (per-protocol population) was time to first occurrence of all-cause death, stroke, or International Society of Thrombosis and Haemostasis-defined major bleeding during the period from the end of the ablation procedure to end of treatment (90 days). Overall, 632 patients were enrolled, 614 randomized, and 553 received study drug and underwent ablation; 177 subjects underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging to assess silent cerebral infarcts. The primary endpoint (only major bleeds occurred) was observed in 0.3% (1 patient) on edoxaban and 2.0% (2 patients) on VKA [hazard ratio (95% confidence interval): 0.16 (0.02-1.73)]. In the ablation population (modified intent-to-treat population including patients with ablation), the primary endpoint was observed in 2.7% of edoxaban (N = 10) and 1.7% of VKA patients (N = 3) between start of ablation and end of treatment. There were one ischaemic and one haemorrhagic stroke, both in patients on edoxaban. Cerebral microemboli were detected in 13.8% (16) patients who received edoxaban and 9.6% (5) patients in the VKA group (nominal P = 0.62). CONCLUSION: Uninterrupted edoxaban therapy represents an alternative to uninterrupted VKA treatment in patients undergoing AF ablation.

• Keywords
• Ablation, Anticoagulation, Atrial fibrillation, Bleeding events, Stroke,
• MeSH
• Cerebral Hemorrhage chemically induced   diagnostic imaging   epidemiology   MeSH
• Stroke epidemiology   prevention & control   MeSH
• Atrial Fibrillation epidemiology   surgery   MeSH
• Factor Xa Inhibitors therapeutic use   MeSH
• Catheter Ablation * MeSH
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging MeSH
• Postoperative Hemorrhage chemically induced   epidemiology   MeSH
• Pyridines therapeutic use   MeSH
• Aged MeSH
• Thiazoles therapeutic use   MeSH
• Vitamin K antagonists & inhibitors   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Aged MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Multicenter Study MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Randomized Controlled Trial MeSH
• Names of Substances
• edoxaban MeSH Browser
• Factor Xa Inhibitors MeSH
• Pyridines MeSH
• Thiazoles MeSH
• Vitamin K MeSH