Arrhythmias & electrophysiologyResearch article

Outcomes of left atrial appendage closure vs oral anticoagulation after catheter ablation among patients with higher and lower stroke risk: A subanalysis of the OPTION clinical trial

Heart RhythmPublished

  • Subanalysis of the OPTION clinical trial
  • stratified by CHA2DS2-VASc score of ≥4 vs ≤3

Authors' conclusion

After ablation of atrial fibrillation, the rates of cardiovascular events are low among individuals with a CHA2DS2-VASc score of ≤3 who were treated with either LAAC or OAC, and their annual risk of ischemic stroke is ≤0.3% with either treatment. Bleeding risk with OAC is similar for patients with high and low CHA2DS2-VASc and significantly lower with LAAC for both groups.

Study context

Population
Patients after atrial fibrillation ablationpatients aged 70 ± 8 years · CHA2DS2-VASc ≥4 738 · CHA2DS2-VASc ≤3 862
Participants
1,600 patients
Comparison
Left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) vs oral anticoagulation (OAC) after catheter ablation, by CHA2DS2-VASc score of ≥4 vs ≤3
Outcome
Composite of:
  • Death
  • Stroke
  • Systemic embolism (primary efficacy endpoint)
Follow-up
3 years

Main finding

As reported in the abstract

CHA2DS2-VASc ≥4

CHA2DS2-VASc ≤3

Further findings

Annual risk of ischemic stroke, CHA2DS2-VASc ≤3

  • Annual risk of ischemic stroke, CHA2DS2-VASc ≤3: P = .19

Safety

Nonprocedural major or clinically relevant nonmajor bleeding (primary safety endpoint) · 3 years

CHA2DS2-VASc ≥4

CHA2DS2-VASc ≤3

  • Nonprocedural major or clinically relevant nonmajor bleeding (primary safety endpoint): CHA2DS2-VASc ≥4: P < .01
  • Nonprocedural major or clinically relevant nonmajor bleeding (primary safety endpoint): CHA2DS2-VASc ≤3: P < .01

Nonprocedural major or clinically relevant nonmajor bleeding (primary safety endpoint) · 3 years

Bleeding more frequent with OAC

Original publication

Outcomes of left atrial appendage closure vs oral anticoagulation after catheter ablation among patients with higher and lower stroke risk: A subanalysis of the OPTION clinical trial. Heart Rhythm. Published 6 June 2026. doi:10.1016/j.hrthm.2026.05.057

Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it