Clinical trial Recruiting at 5 sites Interventional Ages 18 to 80

Cardiac ablation for endurance athletes with atrial fibrillation

Official title: Performance After Cardiac Ablation in Endurance Athletes for Atrial Fibrillation

Run by University Hospital of Leuven Leuven · NCT07726056 · Data updated 2026-11-12

This study tests whether catheter ablation can help endurance athletes with atrial fibrillation and how it might affect their performance.

More Atrial Fibrillation (AF) trials

Quick facts

Study typeInterventional
Ages18 Years to 80 Years
SexAll
Enrollment100 (estimated)
SponsorUniversity Hospital of Leuven Leuven
Academic / other
Locations5 sites (Melbourne and 4 other locations)
StatusRecruiting
StartedMarch 1, 2026
Main results expectedDecember 31, 2030
Study endsDecember 31, 2032
Registry record updatedJuly 27, 2026
Trial IDNCT07726056 on ClinicalTrials.gov

Is this trial a fit for you?

Likely a good fit

Endurance athletes aged 18–80 with atrial fibrillation who train at least 4 hours per week and can share or start collecting training data.

Probably not a fit

Patients without training data or with certain cardiovascular conditions outside the eligibility criteria may not experience benefit from ablation in this study.

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

What this trial studies

This multicenter interventional study will enroll 100 endurance athletes with atrial fibrillation to undergo catheter ablation. It aims to assess the impact of ablation on physical performance, training data, and AF symptoms, while monitoring safety and any changes in exercise capacity. Participants will provide training data from platforms like Strava or TrainingPeaks to help understand real-world performance before and after the procedure. The trial will also consider potential trade-offs, such as changes in atrial function and the need for potential repeat procedures. The study addresses a gap where evidence on ablation effects in athletes is limited and inconclusive.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, ablation could offer better symptom control and possibly improved or preserved athletic performance for some endurance athletes with AF.

How similar studies have gone: Previous small studies provide mixed results; this larger multicenter study seeks more definitive evidence on performance and safety.

Who can join: the full rules

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

* Age 18-80 years
* Participation in endurance sports (≥4 hours/week)
* Diagnosis of atrial fibrillation
* Capturing training data through commercially available platforms (e.g. Strava, TrainingPeaks, …) or willingness to start collecting training data and working with these commercially available platforms prospectively

Exclusion Criteria:

* No training data available
* History of cardiovascular disease (including ischemic heart disease, cardiomyopathy, valvular heart disease, primary electrical disorders, or congestive heart failure)
* Active smoking

Where it's running

  • St. Vincent's Hospital
    Melbourne, Australia
    Recruiting
  • Universitair Ziekenhuis Antwerpen
    Antwerp, Antwerpen, Belgium
    Recruiting
  • ZOL Genk
    Genk, Limburg, Belgium
    Recruiting
  • Jessa Hospital, Department of Cardiology
    Hasselt, Limburg, Belgium
    Recruiting
  • UZ Leuven
    Leuven, Vlaams-Brabant, Belgium
    Recruiting

Study contacts

Similar studies

Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.

How to take part

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Last reviewed 2026-11-14 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.