NCT03724318

Brief Summary

Atrial fibrillation is a heart rhythm disorder that often occurs after heart surgery. During atrial fibrillation blood cloths may form, predominantly in the left atrial appendage, a small sac in the wall of the left side of the heart. Some heart surgeons close this appendage to protect against stroke, particularly in patients with a history of atrial fibrillation, yet there is little evidence to support the efficacy and safety of this practice. We therefore conducted the Left Atrial Appendage Closure by Surgery (LAACS) study (2010-2016) were patients in whom the appendage was closed (by chance) suffered fewer brain damages that patients where it remained open. Although encouraging, these results were not only based on strokes, but also on scars without symptoms found in brain scans. The following LAACS-2 study will include a sufficient number of patients to determine whether future guidelines should advise to close systematically the left atrium appendage during a heart operation.

Trial Health

78
On Track

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Enrollment
1,500

participants targeted

Target at P75+ for not_applicable

Timeline
6mo left

Started Mar 2019

Longer than P75 for not_applicable

Geographic Reach
3 countries

4 active sites

Status
active not recruiting

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

Click on a node to explore related trials.

Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

Study Progress94%
Mar 2019Oct 2026

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

October 26, 2018

Completed
4 days until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

October 30, 2018

Completed
5 months until next milestone

Study Start

First participant enrolled

March 17, 2019

Completed
6.6 years until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

October 31, 2025

Completed
1 year until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

October 31, 2026

Expected
Last Updated

January 16, 2026

Status Verified

January 1, 2026

Enrollment Period

6.6 years

First QC Date

October 26, 2018

Last Update Submit

January 14, 2026

Conditions

Keywords

Left Atrium AppendageAtrial FibrillationStrokeHeart Surgery

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

  • Number of participants with Stroke occurrence including Transitory cerebral ischemia (TCI)

    Stroke is an acute episode of focal dysfunction of the brain, retina, or spinal cord lasting longer than 24 h, or of any duration if imaging (CT or MRI) or autopsy show focal infarction relevant to the symptoms. Transitory cerebral ischemia (TCI) is defined as above, but with symptoms lasting less than 24 h. Endpoints will be assigned by two independent neurologists, who are blinded to what procedure the patient undergo. In case of discrepancy, the events will be assigned by consensus.

    at least two years, until end of follow-up

Secondary Outcomes (3)

  • Combined end-point of Stroke, TCI or Silent brain infarction

    at least two years, until end of follow-up

  • Ischemic Stroke, including TCI

    at least two years, until end of follow-up

  • Composite outcome of all-cause mortality and stroke (ischemic or hemorrhagic)

    at least two years, until end of follow-up

Other Outcomes (6)

  • Safety outcome - Composite of peri- and postoperative complications

    30 days after surgery

  • Safety outcome: Readmission or death due to bleeding

    30 days after surgery

  • Safety outcome: Readmission or death due to heart injury

    30 days after surgery

  • +3 more other outcomes

Study Arms (2)

Closure

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Patients randomized to the active Group will undergo closure of the left atrium appendage during Heart surgery by means of commercial clips

Procedure: closure of the left atrium appendage

Control

NO INTERVENTION

The left atrium appendage will remain open in patients randomized to the control group

Interventions

closure of the left atrium appendage in addition to the planned Heart operation

Closure

Eligibility Criteria

Age18 Years+
Sexall
Healthy VolunteersNo
Age GroupsAdult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

  • Patients referred for planned first-time heart surgery:
  • Coronary artery by-pass surgery (CABG)
  • Valve surgery
  • Combined CABG and valve surgery

You may not qualify if:

  • Endocarditis
  • No possible follow-up
  • Planned closure of the left atrium appendage as part of surgery

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (4)

Aarhus University Hospital Skejby

Aarhus, Denmark

Location

Rigshospitalet

Copenhagen, Denmark

Location

Hospital Universitario Vall d'Hebron

Barcelona, Spain

Location

Sahlgrenska University Hospital

Gothenburg, Sweden

Location

Related Publications (37)

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  • Madsen CL, Park-Hansen J, Hadad R, Greve AM, Dominguez H. The left atrial appendage closure by surgery 2 trial: statistical analysis plan for a randomized multicenter trial exploring if the closure of the left atrial appendage during open-heart surgery reduces stroke irrespective of patients' stroke risk and preoperative atrial fibrillation status. Trials. 2024 May 14;25(1):317. doi: 10.1186/s13063-024-08122-9.

  • Madsen CL, Park-Hansen J, Irmukhamedov A, Carranza CL, Rafiq S, Rodriguez-Lecoq R, Palmer-Camino N, Modrau IS, Hansson EC, Jeppsson A, Hadad R, Moya-Mitjans A, Greve AM, Christensen R, Carstensen HG, Host NB, Dixen U, Torp-Pedersen C, Kober L, Gogenur I, Truelsen TC, Kruuse C, Sajadieh A, Dominguez H; LAACS-2 trial Investigators. The left atrial appendage closure by surgery-2 (LAACS-2) trial protocol rationale and design of a randomized multicenter trial investigating if left atrial appendage closure prevents stroke in patients undergoing open-heart surgery irrespective of preoperative atrial fibrillation status and stroke risk. Am Heart J. 2023 Oct;264:133-142. doi: 10.1016/j.ahj.2023.06.003. Epub 2023 Jun 10.

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Ischemic StrokeAtrial FibrillationStroke

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Cerebrovascular DisordersBrain DiseasesCentral Nervous System DiseasesNervous System DiseasesVascular DiseasesCardiovascular DiseasesArrhythmias, CardiacHeart DiseasesPathologic ProcessesPathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Study Officials

  • Helena DomĂ­nguez, MD, PhD

    Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg Hospital

    STUDY CHAIR

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
not applicable
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
SINGLE
Who Masked
OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
Purpose
PREVENTION
Intervention Model
PARALLEL
Model Details: Open-label, parallel, randomized, control trial
Sponsor Type
OTHER
Responsible Party
SPONSOR INVESTIGATOR
PI Title
MD, PhD, Associate Professor

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

October 26, 2018

First Posted

October 30, 2018

Study Start

March 17, 2019

Primary Completion

October 31, 2025

Study Completion (Estimated)

October 31, 2026

Last Updated

January 16, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-01

Data Sharing

IPD Sharing
Will share

Study data will be shared upon reasonable request after study end.

Shared Documents
STUDY PROTOCOL, SAP, CSR
Time Frame
From study end until data storage permissions from the Danish Data Protection Agency expire.
Access Criteria
Reasonable request

Locations