Feasibility of Self-Reported Surveillance After Catheter Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation Using A Mobile Application

The effectiveness of catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation (AF) can only be fully assessed months after the procedure, and many complications do not present until after hospital discharge. Readily available means to monitor patients for quality assurance are hampered by the impracticality of following patients after they leave referral centers.

The objective of the study was to determine if a mobile app-based platform that interfaced directly with AF ablation patients using their smartphones might be feasible.

In the VIBRANT-AF (Volunteers to Investigate Best Results for Ablation and Novel Therapies for Atrial Fibrillation) study, AF catheter ablation patients were monitored with baseline and weekly SMS messages accompanied by mobile application-based questionnaires using the Eureka digital research platform.

Among 493 participants enrolled from 17 sites, 4% reported an emergency department visit related to AF or the catheter ablation procedure. Among 236 followed for 1 year, participants completed a median of 25 (IQR: 7-42) electronic visits. A 2-fold increase in response rate was observed among those who completed at least 1 of the first 2 weeks of surveys. Recurrent AF at 1 year was reported in 30% of participants. The validated Atrial Fibrillation Effect on Quality of Life score improved from baseline to 6 months, with sustained improvement at 12 months. Validation of self-reported AF and complications in a subset of the cohort demonstrated substantial agreement with KardiaMobile electrocardiograms and electronic health record data, respectively.

Direct patient-facing, mobile application-based surveillance is feasible following catheter AF ablation, with self-reported rates of effectiveness and complications similar to previous reports using conventional means. (Volunteers to Investigate Best Results for Ablation and Novel Therapies for Atrial Fibrillation [VIBRANT-AF]; NCT05504356).