Opportunistic Detection of Atrial Fibrillation v1
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A two-stage study to assess the diagnostic accuracy of opportunistic detection of atrial fibrillation during ambulatory blood pressure measurement
IRAS ID
165104
Contact name
Sarah Kane
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 6 months, 0 days
Research summary
Atrial Fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained heart rhythm problem. People with AF are at increased risk of conditions such as heart failure and stroke. Often AF has no symptoms and so many people may be unaware of their condition meaning potentially life-saving therapies may be delayed. Screening everyone at a certain age for AF is not cost effective, but checking for signs of AF during other routine tests (such as during blood pressure measurements) is cost effective.
Many blood pressure (BP) monitors rely on pulse detection. Some manufacturers have developed BP devices which can analyse the pulse for signs of AF. Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) is a common test which involves wearing a BP monitor for 24 hours. This may provide additional opportunities for AF screening because signs of AF may not be present all the time. In this study we aim to determine if ABPM is a feasible method for AF screening.We will recruit two groups of patients. The first group will consist of patients who have been referred for a 24 hour ABPM test and our study will run alongside this. As well as their BP monitor we will ask them to wear a small data logger which will allow us to monitor their heart rhythm and the pressure within the BP monitor cuff. Following the study we will analyse the cuff pressure data for signs of AF and compare this to the heart rhythm recordings. This will give us an initial indication of the specificity of this technique for detecting AF. The second group will consist of patients with known AF. These patients will wear the commercial BP monitor and the data logger for three hours. Data from this group will allow us to verify if this method can successfully detect AF.
REC name
North East - York Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/NE/0221
Date of REC Opinion
18 Jul 2016
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion