Several studies carried out by researchers from the COR group of the ITACA-UPV Institute, in collaboration with Corify Care SL (a spin-off of UPV and the Gregorio Marañón Hospital), have been highlighted in the latest international cardiology guidelines on ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF), published by the leading scientific societies in the field, such as the European and American Heart Rhythm Societies.
The referenced works, led by researchers from the ITACA-COR group, María S. Guillem, Andreu Climent, Ismael Hernández and Rubén Molero, focus on the innovative technique of electrocardiographic imaging (ECGI) for the diagnosis and treatment of cardiac arrhythmias.
«This technique provides non-invasive cardiac mapping, transforming the approach to the study and treatment of cardiac arrhythmias. This technique allows the clinical team to visualise the electrical activity of the heart globally, quickly, safely and more accurately, reducing the risk to patients and improving the accuracy and effectiveness of diagnosis and treatment,» explains Maria S. Guillem, Professor at the UPV Electronics Department and leading researcher of the ITACA-COR group.
The inclusion of this technique highlights the need for the new Imageless ECGI technology as a ready method to provide more accurate and personalised care to cardiac patients.
«This first recognition in clinical practice guidelines is the result of years of hard work in the laboratory and bringing our innovations to the market. The collaboration with Corify Care, our university spin-off, has been essential in overcoming the regulatory challenges and allowing us to reach thousands of patients with our technology,» emphasises Andreu Climent.
This new consensus document, seven years after the last update, has received input from prestigious international organisations such as the American Heart Rhythm Society (HRS) and the European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA).
COR-ITACA, the protagonist at the International Heart Rhythm Society Congress
This document will be officially presented at the next Heart Rhythm Congress in Boston from 16 to 18 May. This is the world’s most important meeting in this field, where thousands of cardiologists will gather to explore the latest innovations.
Among these innovations, Maria S. Guillem has been invited to present the Imageless ECGI technology. The ITACA-COR team will also present the latest advances achieved with this technology in the treatment of various arrhythmias, including atrial fibrillation, ventricular tachycardia, atrial flutter and the optimisation of pacemaker implants.
What is atrial fibrillation?
Atrial fibrillation is the most common supraventricular arrhythmia and a major cause of stroke, heart failure and other cardiovascular complications. It affects 1 in 3 adults in the general population because its prevalence increases with age.
Over the past two decades, AF ablation, which uses energy to create scars and block abnormal electrical signals, has emerged as a safe and effective treatment. However, these procedures are complex and, in many patients, clinicians cannot identify which cardiac region is causing the arrhythmia. This is one of the main projects in which the Imageless ECGI technology, developed in collaboration with the UPV, is helping clinicians to identify the most appropriate treatment.
This constant evolution has highlighted the importance of consensus documents to guide healthcare professionals in the selection and treatment of patients. Recognising the need to update such documents, several international associations have collaborated to develop a new guideline whose main objective is to «provide practical guidance to healthcare professionals and establish standards for the selection and management of patients who are candidates for or have undergone AF ablation, covering the pre-procedural, procedural and post-procedural phases».
This new document, produced seven years after the last publication, has benefited from the collaboration of the European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA), the Heart Rhythm Society (HRS), the Asia Pacific Heart Rhythm Society (APHRS) and the Latin American Heart Rhythm Society (LAHRS).