Background
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is one of the most frequent causes of stroke. Several randomized trials have shown that prolonged monitoring increases the detection of AF, but the effect on reducing recurrent cardioembolism, i.e. ischemic stroke and systemic embolism, remains unknown. We aim to evaluate whether a risk-adapted, intensified heart rhythm monitoring with consequent guideline conform treatment, which implies initiation of oral anticoagulation (OAC), leads to a reduction of recurrent cardioembolism.
Methods
Find-AF 2 is a randomized, controlled, open-label parallel multicenter trial with blinded endpoint assessment. 5,200 patients ≥ 60 years of age with symptomatic ischemic stroke within the last 30 days and without known AF will be included at 52 study centers with a specialized stroke unit in Germany. Patients without AF in an additional 24-hour Holter ECG after the qualifying event will be randomized in a 1:1 fashion to either enhanced, prolonged and intensified ECG-monitoring (intervention arm) or standard of care monitoring (control arm). In the intervention arm, patients with a high risk of underlying AF will receive continuous rhythm monitoring using an implantable cardiac monitor (ICM) whereas those without high risk of underlying AF will receive repeated 7-day Holter ECGs. The duration of rhythm monitoring within the control arm is up to the discretion of the participating centers and is allowed for up to 7 days. Patients will be followed for at least 24 months. The primary efficacy endpoint is the time until recurrent ischemic stroke or systemic embolism occur.
Conclusions
The Find-AF 2 trial aims to demonstrate that enhanced, prolonged and intensified rhythm monitoring results in a more effective prevention of recurrent ischemic stroke and systemic embolism compared to usual care.
Background: In the Find-AF 2 randomised controlled trial, we investigate whether a risk-adapted intensified heart rhythm monitoring with subsequent initiation of oral anticoagulation in ischaemic stroke patients leads to a reduction of recurrent ischaemic stroke and systemic embolism. The objective of this analysis is to present baseline characteristics of the overall Find-AF 2 study population and stratified by low or high risk for developing AF.
Methods: The Find-AF 2 trial included acute ischaemic stroke patients ≥ 60 years of age within 30 days of ischaemic stroke of any cause. Before randomisation, patients received a 24-h Holter-ECG to exclude those with easily detectable AF and to determine the presence or absence of enhanced supraventricular ectopic activity (ESVEA), used as a marker indicating high or low risk for developing AF. Those without AF were randomly assigned 1:1 to either usual care diagnostics for AF detection (control group) or enhanced, prolonged and intensified ECG monitoring (intervention group). In the intervention group, patients with ESVEA received an implantable cardiac monitor (ICM), whereas those without ESVEA received repeated annual 7-day Holter ECGs. We present baseline characteristics of the overall Find-AF 2 population and stratified by ESVEA.
Results: Between July 2020 and July 2024, 5227 patients (mean age 72.3 ± 7.5 years, 40% female, 2618 intervention group, 2609 control group) were randomised from 52 study centres in Germany within a median of 5 (IQR 3-7) days after the index stroke. The most frequent stroke aetiologies were cryptogenic (60%) and small vessel occlusion (19%). 1152 (22%) patients were at high risk for developing AF and 4075 (78%) at low risk. Patients within the high-risk stratum were significantly older (mean age 75.2 versus 71.5 years, p < 0.001), more often had moderate to severe stroke (34% versus 30%, p < 0.001), non-lacunar (70% versus 64%, p < 0.001) and of cryptogenic aetiology (64% vs 58%, p < 0.001).
Conclusions: The Find-AF 2 trial has successfully completed recruitment of a large acute ischaemic stroke population with different stroke subtypes. The follow-up is ongoing and results are expected within two years.
