Peri-procedural Hydration to Prevent Acute Kidney Injury After Pulsed Field Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation: A Single-Center, Open-Label, Randomized Controlled Trial
PFA is an emerging non-thermal ablation technology with favorable procedural safety; however, recent studies have raised concerns about peri-procedural hemolysis and subsequent AKI after PFA. This study is a single-center, open-label, randomized controlled trial designed to evaluate whether standardized peri-procedural intravenous hydration can reduce the risk of acute kidney injury (AKI) after pulsed field ablation (PFA) for atrial fibrillation (AF). Eligible adult patients with symptomatic paroxysmal or persistent AF scheduled for PFA will be randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to either a standardized hydration strategy or a control strategy without routine prophylactic hydration. The hydration group will receive 0.9% saline at 2 mL/kg/h from entry into the electrophysiology laboratory until 12 hours after the procedure, while the control group will receive no routine preventive hydration and will be treated with fluids only if clinically indicated. The primary outcome is any in-hospital AKI defined according to Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) criteria. Secondary endpoints include in-hospital AKI severity by KDIGO stage, in-hospital persistent moderate-to-severe AKI, in-hospital renal replacement therapy, changes in renal function after the procedure, and clinical outcomes through 30 and 90 days, including all-cause death, persistent AKI, renal replacement therapy, all-cause rehospitalization, and composite major adverse events.
⁃ Participants must meet all of the following criteria:
• Age ≥18 years.
• Symptomatic paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) or persistent AF:
‣ Paroxysmal AF: AF that terminates spontaneously or with intervention within 7 days of onset, and meets both of the following:
• At least 2 symptomatic paroxysmal AF episodes within 6 months before enrollment;
∙ At least 1 documented AF episode by electrocardiogram (ECG) or Holter monitoring within 12 months before enrollment.
⁃ Persistent AF: AF lasting \>7 days and ≤365 days, and meets both of the following:
• At least 1 symptomatic persistent AF episode within 6 months before enrollment;
∙ Persistent AF documented within 12 months before enrollment by either Holter monitoring or 2 ECGs obtained at least 7 days apart.
• Failure of antiarrhythmic drug (AAD) therapy, defined as inadequate efficacy and/or intolerance to at least 1 Class I or Class III AAD.
• Planned to undergo pulsed field ablation (PFA).
• Willing and able to provide written informed consent.
• Willing and able to comply with study procedures, including in-hospital assessments and 30-day and 90-day follow-up.