The goal of this clinical trial is to learn whether the antiarrhythmic drug flecainide can be used as safely as standard rhythm-control drugs in people with atrial fibrillation (AF) and stable coronary artery disease (CAD). The study includes adults aged 18 years and older who have AF and known but stable coronary artery disease. The main questions this study aims to answer are: * Is treatment with flecainide as safe as standard rhythm-control drugs (sotalol or amiodarone) in this patient group? * Does flecainide lead to similar or fewer serious side effects, hospitalisations, or deaths compared with standard treatment? Researchers will compare patients treated with flecainide to patients treated with standard rhythm-control therapy (sotalol or amiodarone) to see whether flecainide is not worse in terms of safety outcomes. Participants will: * Be randomly assigned to receive either flecainide or standard rhythm-control medication * Take the assigned medication as part of routine clinical care * Attend regular follow-up visits at the hospital and have additional follow-up by telephone * Undergo routine heart tests such as electrocardiograms and echocardiography * Complete questionnaires about symptoms, quality of life, and daily functioning This study follows patients for at least one year and collects information on safety, heart rhythm outcomes, quality of life, and healthcare use.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
988
Flecainide, a class Ic anti-arrhythmic drug Recommended starting dose of 100 to 150 mg per day per os, either spread in 2 equal doses BID or in 1 dose OD with controlled release formulation. Flecainide will always be combined with an AV nodal blocker (beta-blocker or diltiazem/verapamil).
Class III anti-arrhythmic drug: Sotalol or amiodarone as per physician preference. Recommended starting doses: * Sotalol: 80 mg BID per os, with a dose adjustment to once daily if the eGFR is between 40 and 60 mL/min. * Amiodarone: loading dose of 600 mg daily per os in divided doses for 1 week, followed by 400 mg daily per os in divided doses for 1 week, and subsequently 200 mg per os once daily.
AZorg
Aalst, Belgium
NOT_YET_RECRUITINGImelda
Bonheiden, Belgium
NOT_YET_RECRUITINGAZ ST-JAN Brugge A.V.
Bruges, Belgium
NOT_YET_RECRUITINGUniversitair Ziekenhuis Antwerpen
Edegem, Belgium
NOT_YET_RECRUITINGZiekenhuis Oost Limburg
Genk, Belgium
NOT_YET_RECRUITINGAz Maria Middelares Gent
Ghent, Belgium
NOT_YET_RECRUITINGAZ St.-Elisabeth Herentals VZW
Herentals, Belgium
NOT_YET_RECRUITINGJan Yperman Ziekenhuis
Ieper, Belgium
NOT_YET_RECRUITINGAlgemeen Ziekenhuis Groeninge
Kortrijk, Belgium
NOT_YET_RECRUITINGUZ Leuven
Leuven, Belgium
RECRUITING...and 4 more locations
Composite safety outcome
The primary outcome measure is a composite safety outcome including all-cause mortality, severe adverse events leading to drug discontinuation, and unscheduled hospitalisation for heart failure or acute coronary syndrome. Each of these individual components is assessed as secondary outcome.
Time frame: 1 year
All-cause mortality
Death from any cause
Time frame: 1 year
Severe adverse events leading to drug discontinuation
Any severe AE leading to intervention discontinuation, including bradyarrhythmias, ventricular arrhythmias, atrial flutter with 1:1 conduction, QT/QRS prolongation, serious extra-cardiac adverse events
Time frame: 1 year
Unscheduled hospitalisation for heart failure or acute coronary syndrome
Unscheduled hospitalisation for heart failure or acute coronary syndrome
Time frame: 1 year
AF recurrence
Freedom from fast atrial arrhythmia post-treatment (clinical recurrence of AF)
Time frame: 1 year
Major adverse cardiovascular events
Composite of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, stroke
Time frame: 1 year
Catheter ablation
Incidence of catheter ablation for AF during follow-up
Time frame: 1 year
Cardiovascular hospitalisation duration
Total number of days of cardiovascular hospitalisation
Time frame: 1 year
Treatment-related adverse events
All serious adverse events and adverse events: * Frequency and severity of all treatment-emergent adverse events * Proportion of participants experiencing at least one AE/SAE. * Specific drug-related adverse events (e.g., QT prolongation, proarrhythmia, bradycardia, hypotension, fatigue, gastrointestinal disturbances).
Time frame: 1 year
Cardiac function - LVEF
Changes in cardiac function assessed by left ventricular ejection fraction expressed in percentages (%) from baseline measured by echocardiography
Time frame: 3 months
NT-proBNP
Change in N-terminal-pro-brain Natriuretic Peptide (NT-proBNP) at 3 months from baseline
Time frame: 3 months
QTc
Change in QTc interval (ms) and QRS duration (ms) from baseline
Time frame: 1 year
Healthcare resource utilization
Total within-trial healthcare resource utilization expressed in Euro (€)
Time frame: 1 year
Atrial Fibrillation Effect on Quality of Life (AFEQT) questionnaire
Change in patient reported outcomes assessed by the Atrial Fibrillation Effect on Quality of Life (AFEQT) questionnaire. The AFEQT questionnaire is a 20-item, disease-specific, patient-reported outcome measure ranging from 0 to 100 with a higher value corresponding to a better quality of life.
Time frame: 1 year
EuroQoL-5 dimension health utility index (EQ-5D-5L)
Change in patient-reported outcome as assessed by the EuroQoL-5 dimension health utility index (EQ-5D-5L) questionnaire. The EQ-5D-5L measures health-related quality of life across five dimensions (mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort, anxiety/depression) on five severity levels (1=no problem to 5=extreme problem). Results are interpreted via a 5-digit health state profile (e.g., 11211), a calculated utility index (ranging from \<0 to 1, where 1=full health), and a 0-100 Visual Analog Scale (VAS). A higher score corresponds to a better quality of life.
Time frame: 1 year
Short Form-12 (SF-12) health survey
Change in patient-reported outcome as assessed by the Short Form-12 (SF-12) health survey. The Short Form-12 (SF-12) health survey is interpreted by calculating two main, norm-based scores-the Physical Component Summary (PCS) and Mental Component Summary (MCS)-where a score of 50 represents the average for the general population. Scores above 50 indicate better-than-average health-related quality of life, while scores below 50 indicate below-average health.
Time frame: 1 year
EHRA symptom score
Change in patient-reported outcome as assessed by the European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA) symptom score. The EHRA symptom score is a standardized, four-level classification system used to quantify the severity of symptoms in patients with atrial fibrillation based on how they impact daily activities. EHRA Symptom Score Classification (I-IV): EHRA I (Asymptomatic): No symptoms are experienced. EHRA II (Mild Symptoms): Normal daily activity is not affected. EHRA III (Severe Symptoms): Normal daily activity is affected. EHRA IV (Disabling Symptoms): Normal daily activity is discontinued.
Time frame: 1 year
Work Productivity and Activity Impairment (WPAI) questionnaire
Change in patient-reported outcome as assessed by the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment (WPAI) questionnaire. The WPAI questionnaire is interpreted by calculating four key impairment percentages over the past 7 days, with higher scores (0-100%) indicating greater impairment and lower productivity. It measures absenteeism (time missed), presenteeism (impairment while working), overall work loss, and daily activity impairment, using a 0-10 scale for productivity.
Time frame: 1 year
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