Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation in Patients by Pulmonary Vein Isolation in Combination With Renal Denervation or Pulmonary Vein Isolation Only

The target group of patients are subjects ages <65 years, with paroxysmal or persistent atrial fibrillation, who have out of range hypertension (systolic >140 mmHg or >130/80 mmHg in diabetics and patients with chronic renal disease) or signs of sympathetic overdrive. Patients should use at least 2 anti-hypertensive's or should be intolerant for antihypertensive medication.

Atrial fibrillation terminology: If atrial fibrillation recurs more than once but terminates spontaneously within seven days, the term paroxysmal AF is used. This is also used when the episode is less than 48 hours in duration and is terminated with electrical or pharmacological cardioversion. Persistent AF is defined as recurrent AF that is sustained for more than seven days. A patient that is electrically or pharmacologically cardioverted after more than two days is also diagnosed with persistent AF.

After the exclusion of apparent secondary causes of hypertension, patients will be randomized to one of the following interventional treatments:

First arm: PVI (69 patients) Second arm: PVI + RDN (69 patients)

The patient will be treated under conscious sedation or general anesthesia. The control group will consist of patients who undergo PVI alone. The study will be a randomized, controlled trial. The follow up period will be up to one year after the interventional therapy. Patients will be treated clinically and will have regular follow-up at the outpatient clinic of the hospital at which they were treated. If patients receive continuous loop recorders for cardiac rhythm monitoring, this data will be used for the study. The other patients will undergo Holter ECG monitoring at regular intervals during follow-up (at 3, 6 and 12 months after the interventional treatment). During follow-up, the first 3 months after the interventional treatment will be a blanking period, as is common in the ablative therapy of AF (ablations points need to heal, and paroxysms of AF in this period are not associated with therapy failure).

Inclusion criteria

• The patient is willing and able to comply with the protocol and has provided written informed consent.
• The patient falls within the target group resistant hypertension or sympathetic overdrive
• Patient is an acceptable candidate for renal denervation treatment
• Patient is < 65 year of age

Exclusion criteria

• Documented left atrial diameter on trans thoracic echocardiography (PLAX > 4.5 cm).
• Contraindication to chronic anticoagulation therapy or heparin.
• Previous left heart ablation procedure for AF (atrial fibrillation).
• Acute coronary syndrome, cardiac surgery, PCI (percutaneous coronary intervention)or stroke within 3 months prior to enrollment.
• Untreated hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism.
• More than grade 1/3 valvular regurgitation and/or significant valve stenosis (modest or severe).
• LVEF (Left ventricular function) <45% and/or grade 3/4 diastolic dysfunction.
• Enrollment in another investigational drug or device study.
• Woman currently pregnant or breastfeeding or not using reliable contraceptive measures during fertile age.
• Mental or physical inability to participate in the study.
• Planned cardiovascular intervention.
• Life expectancy ≤ 12 months.
• Renal artery stenosis >50% of the arterial lumen, or renal artery lumen

≤3 mm.

• Dual or triple ipsilateral renal artery ostia.
• Obvious secondary cause of hypertension.