NCT07272902Recruiting
Treating Atrial Fibrillation in Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction: Ablation or Medication
A Randomized Ablation-based Atrial Fibrillation Rhythm Control Versus Rate Control Trial in Patients With Heart Failure and Preserved Ejection Fraction (CABANA-RAFT HF): A Pilot Study
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Last updated 20 Oct 2026
Brief summary (registry, in English)
This study is testing two different ways of treating atrial fibrillation (AF) in people who also have heart failure with mildly reduced or preserved heart function. Patients will randomly be assigned to either rhythm control using catheter ablation or rate control using medicines. The pilot phase will determine if a larger study can be successfully carried out to see which approach better improves survival, reduces hospitalizations, and enhances quality of life.
- Status (registry)
- Recruiting
- Study type
- Interventional
- Enrollment
- 84 (estimated)
- First submitted
- 24 Nov 2025
- Start date
- Jan 2026
- Primary completion date
- Oct 2027
- Lead sponsor
- Nova Scotia Health Authority
- Diseases
- Heart failure, Atrial fibrillation
- NCT number
- NCT07272902
What you commit to
- Study type: Interventional
- Planned participants: 84
- From Jan 2026 to the primary completion date, Oct 2027
- 4 sites in 1 country
- Visits and tests: ask the trial team, the registry does not list them
Built from the registry fields of ClinicalTrials.gov. It describes the study, not your situation.
Who cannot take part
Copied verbatim from ClinicalTrials.gov and grouped by topic. Only the trial team decides who can take part.
Prior treatment
- Prior catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation
Other illness
- NYHA class IV heart failure
- Rheumatic heart disease
- Renal failure requiring dialysis
- Complex congenital heart disease
- Untreated thyroid disease
- Acute coronary syndrome or coronary artery bypass surgery within 12 weeks
- Other serious non-cardiovascular condition with life expectancy ≤1 year
Age
- Age \<18 years
Other
- Permanent atrial fibrillation diagnosis
- Moderate or severe mitral stenosis
- Mechanical mitral valve
- Severe aortic stenosis or severe aortic/mitral regurgitation
- Contraindication to oral anticoagulation
- Infiltrative cardiomyopathies
- Participation in another clinical trial
- Inability to provide informed consent
Who the study is looking for
- Age ≥18 years
- Diagnosis of atrial fibrillation (documented on Holter, rhythm strip, or ECG)
- New York Heart Association (NYHA) class II-III heart failure
- Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) \>40%
- Meet specific NT-proBNP criteria:
- If HF hospitalization within 6 months prior to screening: NT-proBNP \>200 pg/ml (if not in AF at screening) or \>600 pg/ml (if in AF at screening)
- Otherwise: NT-proBNP \>300 pg/ml (if not in AF at screening) or \>900 pg/ml (if in AF at screening)
- On stable guideline-directed medical therapy for ≥1 month
- On stable diuretic dose for ≥2 weeks
- Suitable for either ablation-based rhythm control or rate control strategy
Age in the registry: 18 years to - · Sex: All · Does not accept healthy volunteers
Sites (4)
Sites in registry order. Pick your city on the disease page to sort them by distance.
| Site | City | Country | Site status |
|---|---|---|---|
| QEII HSC Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Halifax | Canada | Recruiting |
| Hamilton Health Sciences Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Hamilton | Canada | Recruiting |
| London Health Sciences Centre Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | London | Canada | Recruiting |
| Montreal Heart Institute Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Montreal | Canada | Recruiting |
This page is information, not medical advice. Discuss any trial with your doctor.