Blood biomarkers may reveal hidden heart rhythm risk
NCT ID NCT02808260
First seen Jul 13, 2026 · Last updated Jul 14, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study investigates whether certain proteins or chemical changes in the blood can predict who will develop atrial fibrillation (AF), a condition that can lead to strokes. Researchers will follow 500 people with implanted pacemakers or defibrillators for up to 11 years, using the devices to detect early, symptom-free episodes of irregular heartbeats. The goal is to find biomarkers that could allow earlier treatment and possibly prevent AF from becoming permanent.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could help doctors identify people at risk for atrial fibrillation early, potentially preventing strokes and permanent heart rhythm problems.
- What could go wrong
- This is an observational study, not a treatment trial. It may not find reliable biomarkers, and any findings would need further testing before they could be used in practice.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Participants
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About 500 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Sep 2022
- Expected to finish
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Sep 2034
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
Who is studied
Investigators will recruit patients with a permanent defibrillator or pacemaker who have an upcoming appointment at the Device Clinic.
- Ages
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18 years and older
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: • Dual chamber permanent pacemaker or defibrillator implanted within previous 10 years Exclusion Criteria: * Clinical atrial fibrillation documented by surface ECG (12 lead ECG, Telemetry, Holter) * Participants considered by the investigator to be unsuitable for the study for the following reason: life expectancy less than 2 years due to concomitant disease * Participants who are pregnant or breast-feeding * Congenital heart disease * Inherited arrhythmia syndrome, i.e. Brugada, long QT interval
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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University of Ottawa Heart Institute
RECRUITINGOttawa, Ontario, K1Y 4W7, Canada
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
- Can exercise tame atrial fibrillation? trial tests workouts on heart rhythm and fitness
- Pacemaker lead position may cut heart rhythm complication
- Can zapping the heart beat drugs for AF in heart failure?
- Heart hole or stroke trigger? global registry tracks who gets closure and what happens next
- Two ways to quiet a racing heart: trial pits hybrid ablation against standard catheter treatment
- Stroke's hidden heart rhythm clue under investigation