Please select the eligibility criteria that correspond to the clinical trial below.
Title: Catheter Ablation vs Anti-arrhythmic Drug Therapy for Atrial Fibrillation Trial
Brief Summary: The (Catheter Ablation Versus Anti-arrhythmic Drug Therapy for Atrial Fibrillation Trial) CABANA Trial has the overall goal of establishing the appropriate roles for medical and ablative intervention for atrial fibrillation (AF). The CABANA Trial is designed to test the hypothesis that the treatment strategy of left atrial catheter ablation for the purpose of eliminating atrial fibrillation (AF) will be superior to current state-of-the-art therapy with either rate control or rhythm control drugs for decreasing the incidence of the composite endpoint of total mortality, disabling stroke, serious bleeding, or cardiac arrest in patients with untreated or incompletely treated AF.


Options:
A: Inclusion Criteria:

* Patients age is18 years or greater;
* Patients undergoing a first-time ablation procedure for AF;
* Patients with persistent AF;
* Persistent AF will be defined as a sustained episode lasting \> 7 days and less than 3 years.
* Patients with symptomatic AF that is refractory to at least one antiarrhythmic medication;
* At least one episode of persistent AF must have been documented by ECG, holter, loop recorder, telemetry, trans telephonic monitoring (TTM), or implantable device within last 2 years of enrollment in this investigation;
* Patients must be able and willing to provide written informed consent to participate in this investigation; and
* Patients must be willing and able to comply with all peri-ablation and follow-up requirements.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Patients with paroxysmal AF;
* Patients with long-standing persistent AF;
* Patients for whom cardioversion or sinus rhythm will never be attempted/pursued;
* Patients with AF felt to be secondary to an obvious reversible cause;
* Patients with contraindications to systemic anticoagulation with heparin or coumadin or a direct thrombin inhibitor;
* Patients with left atrial size ≥ 60 mm (2D echocardiography, parasternal long axis view); and
* Patients who are pregnant.
B: Inclusion Criteria:

* Over the preceding 6 months have:

  1. ≥2 paroxysmal (electrocardiographic documentation of at least 1) atrial fibrillation (AF) episodes lasting ≥1 hour in duration: (that terminate spontaneously within 7 days or cardioversion is performed within 48h of AF onset): or
  2. electrocardiographic documentation of 1 persistent AF episode: (sustained for ≥7 days or cardioversion is performed more than 48h after AF onset): or
  3. electrocardiographic documentation of 1 longstanding persistent AF episode: (continuous AF of duration \>1 year).
* Warrant active therapy (within the past 3 months) beyond simple ongoing observation
* Be eligible for catheter ablation and ≥2 sequential rhythm control and/or ≥2 rate control drugs.
* Be ≥65 yrs of age, or \<65 yrs with one or more of the following risk factors for stroke: Hypertension (treated and/or defined as a blood pressure \>140/90 mmHg) \[90\], Diabetes (treated and/or defined as a fasting glucose ≥126 mg/dl) \[91\], Congestive heart failure (including systolic or diastolic heart failure), Prior stroke, transient ischemic attack or systemic emboli, Atherosclerotic vascular disease (previous myocardial infarction (MI), peripheral arterial disease or aortic plaque), left atrial (LA) size \>5.0 cm (or volume index ≥40 cc/m2), or ejection fraction (EF) ≤35.
* Have the capacity to understand and sign an informed consent form.
* Be ≥18 years of age.

  * NOTE- Subjects \<65 yrs of age whose only risk factor is hypertension must have a second risk factor or left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy to qualify.Patients receiving new drug therapy initiated within the previous 3 months may continue that therapy if randomized to the drug therapy arm. Patients may have documented atrial flutter in addition to atrial fibrillation and remain eligible for enrollment.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Lone AF in the absence of risk factors for stroke in patients \<65 years of age
* Patients who in the opinion of the managing clinician should not yet receive any therapy for AF
* Patients who have failed \>2 membrane active anti-arrhythmic drugs at a therapeutic dose due to inefficacy or side effects (Table 5.2.2)
* An efficacy failure of full dose amiodarone treatment \>8 weeks duration at any time
* Reversible causes of AF including thyroid disorders, acute alcohol intoxication, recent major surgical procedures, or trauma
* Recent cardiac events including MI, percutaneous intervention (PCI), or valve or bypass surgery in the preceding 3 months
* Hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (outflow track)
* Class IV angina or Class IV congestive heart failure (CHF) (including past or planned heart transplantation)
* Other arrhythmias mandating anti-arrhythmic drug therapy (i.e. ventricular tachycardia (VT), ventricular fibrillation (VF))
* Heritable arrhythmias or increased risk for torsade de pointes with class I or III drugs
* Prior LA catheter ablation with the intention of treating AF
* Prior surgical interventions for AF such as the MAZE procedure
* Prior AV nodal ablation
* Patients with other arrhythmias requiring ablative therapy
* Contraindication to appropriate anti-coagulation therapy
* Renal failure requiring dialysis
* Medical conditions limiting expected survival to \<1 year
* Women of childbearing potential (unless post-menopausal or surgically sterile)
* Participation in any other clinical mortality trial (Participation in other non-mortality trials should be reviewed with the clinical trial management center)
* Unable to give informed consent

  * NOTE- Prior ablation of the cavo-tricuspid isthmus alone is not an exclusion if the patient develops subsequent recurrent AF. Planned atrial flutter ablation in combination with the left atrial ablation is not an exclusion.
C: Inclusion Criteria:

1. Patients with symptomatic paroxysmal AF (history of self-terminating AF within 7 days or history of self-terminating AF with 1 or more cardioversions within 48 hours after onset), meeting following criteria at the out-patient clinic:

   * patient has at least 3 AF episodes in the last 3 months prior to the visit
   * AF episodes are symptomatic, and patient is drug-resistant (at least one class IC or III), or drug-intolerant (palpitations, fatigue, dyspnea, cardiomyopathy,...)
   * no advanced structural heart disease
   * patient has a CHA2DS2-VASc score of 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4
2. Signed Patient Informed Consent Form.
3. Age 18 years or older.
4. Able and willing to comply with all follow-up testing and requirements.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Persistent atrial fibrillation (history of AF\>7days or history of cardioversion \> 48h of AF)
2. Previous ablation for AF
3. LA antero-posterior diameter \> 50 mm (parasternal long axis view , PLAX)
4. LVEF \< 35% (ejection fraction)
5. AF secondary to electrolyte imbalance, thyroid disease, or reversible or non-cardiac cause
6. Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) procedure within the last three months
7. Awaiting cardiac transplantation or other cardiac surgery
8. Documented left atrial thrombus on imaging
9. Diagnosed atrial myxoma
10. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding
11. Acute illness or active systemic infection or sepsis
12. Unstable angina
13. Uncontrolled heart failure
14. Myocardial infarction within the previous two months
15. History of blood clotting or bleeding abnormalities
16. Contraindication to anticoagulation therapy (ie, heparin or warfarin)
17. Life expectancy less than 12 months
18. Enrollment in any other study evaluating another device or drug
19. Presence of intramural thrombus, tumor or other abnormality that precludes catheter introduction
D: Inclusion Criteria:

Prospective Cohort

* Written informed consent
* Age 18 years and older
* New diagnosis of non-valvular atrial fibrillation (diagnosed within the last 6 weeks) with at least one additional risk factor for stroke and regardless of therapy.

Retrospective validation cohort

* Written informed consent
* Age 18 years and older
* Diagnosis of non-valvular AF (diagnosed 6-24 months prior to enrolment) with at least one additional risk factor for stroke and regardless of therapy.

Exclusion criteria:

* No further follow-up envisaged or possible within enrolling hospital or with associated family practitioner.
* Patients with transient AF secondary to a reversible cause.
* Patients recruited in controlled clinical trials.

Answer: B