NURSE-led care in Patients Undergoing CATheter Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation: The NURSECAT-AF randomized trial.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with reduced quality of life and frequent hospitalizations. Integrated nurse-led care has proven beneficial in unselected AF patients, but evidence specific to patients undergoing catheter ablation is limited. We aimed to assess the impact of a stru...

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Autores: Cano-Valls, Alba, Martínez Momblán, Ma. Antonia, Carro Fernández, Esther, Niebla Bellido, Mireia, Domingo Criado, Rebeca, Hevia, Sara, Venturas Nieto, Montserrat, Borràs, Roger, Tolosana, José M. (José María), Porta Sánchez, Andreu, Guichard, Jean Baptiste, Althoff, Till, Roca Luque, Ivo, Mont Girbau, Lluís, Guasch i Casany, Eduard
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión aceptada para publicación
Fecha de publicación:2026
País:España
Institución:Universidad de Barcelona
Repositorio:Dipòsit Digital de la UB
OAI Identifier:oai:diposit.ub.edu:2445/228159
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/2445/228159
Access Level:acceso embargado
Palabra clave:Infermeres
Fibril·lació auricular
Ablació percutània
Nurses
Atrial fibrillation
Catheter ablation
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repository_id_str
spelling NURSE-led care in Patients Undergoing CATheter Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation: The NURSECAT-AF randomized trial.Cano-Valls, AlbaMartínez Momblán, Ma. AntoniaCarro Fernández, EstherNiebla Bellido, MireiaDomingo Criado, RebecaHevia, SaraVenturas Nieto, MontserratBorràs, RogerTolosana, José M. (José María)Porta Sánchez, AndreuGuichard, Jean BaptisteAlthoff, TillRoca Luque, IvoMont Girbau, LluísGuasch i Casany, EduardInfermeresFibril·lació auricularAblació percutàniaNursesAtrial fibrillationCatheter ablationBackground: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with reduced quality of life and frequent hospitalizations. Integrated nurse-led care has proven beneficial in unselected AF patients, but evidence specific to patients undergoing catheter ablation is limited. We aimed to assess the impact of a structured nurse-led intervention in patients undergoing first-time AF ablation. Methods: NURSECAT-AF was a single-center prospective randomized clinical trial comparing usual care (UC) with a nurse-led peri-ablation care (NLC) which incorporated an educational program on AF, peri-procedural support, and risk factor management. Consecutive patients without heart failure referred for first-time AF ablation were randomized to UC or NLC. Visits in NLC were scheduled at 15 days pre- ablation, and 15 days, 3 months and 6 months post-ablation. The primary endpoint was quality of life at 12 months post-ablation using the Arrhythmia-Specific Scale in Tachycardia and Arrhythmia (ASTA). Secondary outcomes included arrhythmia recurrence, readmissions and emergency visits, and symptom burden at one year, and AF knowledge and satisfaction at 3 months. Results: Of 116 patients screened, 66 were randomized (33 per group; mean age 63±10 years; 67% male). At 12 months, the NLC group showed statistically significant better quality of life (baseline-adjusted ASTA difference +4 points [95%CI 1.8-6.3], p=0.007) than UC, and presented with less arrhythmia recurrences (OR 0.2 [95%CI 0.05-0.78]) and emergency visits (OR 0.2 [95%CI 0.06-0.66]). Patients assigned to NLC also presented with a lower symptom burden, higher satisfaction and greater disease knowledge. Risk factor profile was improved in the NLC group, with higher rates of smoking cessation, engagement in regular physical activity, and weight optimization. Nurse-led management enabled more frequently diagnosing obstructive sleep apnea. Conclusion: Nurse-led, integrated care for patients undergoing AF ablation improves the quality of life, clinical outcomes and risk factor management at one year post- procedure. These findings support the incorporation of structured nurse-led interventions in the peri-ablation care pathway.American Heart Association2026info:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersionapplication/pdfhttps://hdl.handle.net/2445/228159Articles publicats en revistes (Medicina)reponame:Dipòsit Digital de la UBinstname:Universidad de BarcelonaInglésVersió postprint del document publicat a: https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCEP.125.014149Circulation, 2026https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCEP.125.014149(c) American Heart Association, 2026info:eu-repo/semantics/embargoedAccessoai:diposit.ub.edu:2445/2281592026-05-27T06:46:51Z
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv NURSE-led care in Patients Undergoing CATheter Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation: The NURSECAT-AF randomized trial.
title NURSE-led care in Patients Undergoing CATheter Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation: The NURSECAT-AF randomized trial.
spellingShingle NURSE-led care in Patients Undergoing CATheter Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation: The NURSECAT-AF randomized trial.
Cano-Valls, Alba
Infermeres
Fibril·lació auricular
Ablació percutània
Nurses
Atrial fibrillation
Catheter ablation
title_short NURSE-led care in Patients Undergoing CATheter Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation: The NURSECAT-AF randomized trial.
title_full NURSE-led care in Patients Undergoing CATheter Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation: The NURSECAT-AF randomized trial.
title_fullStr NURSE-led care in Patients Undergoing CATheter Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation: The NURSECAT-AF randomized trial.
title_full_unstemmed NURSE-led care in Patients Undergoing CATheter Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation: The NURSECAT-AF randomized trial.
title_sort NURSE-led care in Patients Undergoing CATheter Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation: The NURSECAT-AF randomized trial.
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Cano-Valls, Alba
Martínez Momblán, Ma. Antonia
Carro Fernández, Esther
Niebla Bellido, Mireia
Domingo Criado, Rebeca
Hevia, Sara
Venturas Nieto, Montserrat
Borràs, Roger
Tolosana, José M. (José María)
Porta Sánchez, Andreu
Guichard, Jean Baptiste
Althoff, Till
Roca Luque, Ivo
Mont Girbau, Lluís
Guasch i Casany, Eduard
author Cano-Valls, Alba
author_facet Cano-Valls, Alba
Martínez Momblán, Ma. Antonia
Carro Fernández, Esther
Niebla Bellido, Mireia
Domingo Criado, Rebeca
Hevia, Sara
Venturas Nieto, Montserrat
Borràs, Roger
Tolosana, José M. (José María)
Porta Sánchez, Andreu
Guichard, Jean Baptiste
Althoff, Till
Roca Luque, Ivo
Mont Girbau, Lluís
Guasch i Casany, Eduard
author_role author
author2 Martínez Momblán, Ma. Antonia
Carro Fernández, Esther
Niebla Bellido, Mireia
Domingo Criado, Rebeca
Hevia, Sara
Venturas Nieto, Montserrat
Borràs, Roger
Tolosana, José M. (José María)
Porta Sánchez, Andreu
Guichard, Jean Baptiste
Althoff, Till
Roca Luque, Ivo
Mont Girbau, Lluís
Guasch i Casany, Eduard
author2_role author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
author
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Infermeres
Fibril·lació auricular
Ablació percutània
Nurses
Atrial fibrillation
Catheter ablation
topic Infermeres
Fibril·lació auricular
Ablació percutània
Nurses
Atrial fibrillation
Catheter ablation
description Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with reduced quality of life and frequent hospitalizations. Integrated nurse-led care has proven beneficial in unselected AF patients, but evidence specific to patients undergoing catheter ablation is limited. We aimed to assess the impact of a structured nurse-led intervention in patients undergoing first-time AF ablation. Methods: NURSECAT-AF was a single-center prospective randomized clinical trial comparing usual care (UC) with a nurse-led peri-ablation care (NLC) which incorporated an educational program on AF, peri-procedural support, and risk factor management. Consecutive patients without heart failure referred for first-time AF ablation were randomized to UC or NLC. Visits in NLC were scheduled at 15 days pre- ablation, and 15 days, 3 months and 6 months post-ablation. The primary endpoint was quality of life at 12 months post-ablation using the Arrhythmia-Specific Scale in Tachycardia and Arrhythmia (ASTA). Secondary outcomes included arrhythmia recurrence, readmissions and emergency visits, and symptom burden at one year, and AF knowledge and satisfaction at 3 months. Results: Of 116 patients screened, 66 were randomized (33 per group; mean age 63±10 years; 67% male). At 12 months, the NLC group showed statistically significant better quality of life (baseline-adjusted ASTA difference +4 points [95%CI 1.8-6.3], p=0.007) than UC, and presented with less arrhythmia recurrences (OR 0.2 [95%CI 0.05-0.78]) and emergency visits (OR 0.2 [95%CI 0.06-0.66]). Patients assigned to NLC also presented with a lower symptom burden, higher satisfaction and greater disease knowledge. Risk factor profile was improved in the NLC group, with higher rates of smoking cessation, engagement in regular physical activity, and weight optimization. Nurse-led management enabled more frequently diagnosing obstructive sleep apnea. Conclusion: Nurse-led, integrated care for patients undergoing AF ablation improves the quality of life, clinical outcomes and risk factor management at one year post- procedure. These findings support the incorporation of structured nurse-led interventions in the peri-ablation care pathway.
publishDate 2026
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2026
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersion
format article
status_str acceptedVersion
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv https://hdl.handle.net/2445/228159
url https://hdl.handle.net/2445/228159
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv Inglés
language_invalid_str_mv Inglés
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv Versió postprint del document publicat a: https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCEP.125.014149
Circulation, 2026
https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCEP.125.014149
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv (c) American Heart Association, 2026
info:eu-repo/semantics/embargoedAccess
rights_invalid_str_mv (c) American Heart Association, 2026
eu_rights_str_mv embargoedAccess
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv application/pdf
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv American Heart Association
publisher.none.fl_str_mv American Heart Association
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv Articles publicats en revistes (Medicina)
reponame:Dipòsit Digital de la UB
instname:Universidad de Barcelona
instname_str Universidad de Barcelona
reponame_str Dipòsit Digital de la UB
collection Dipòsit Digital de la UB
repository.name.fl_str_mv
repository.mail.fl_str_mv
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score 15.81155

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