{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,22]],"date-time":"2026-01-22T12:45:50Z","timestamp":1769085950760,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":23,"publisher":"Oxford University Press (OUP)","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,20]],"date-time":"2025-12-20T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1766188800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":1833,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-nd\/4.0\/"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2020,12,13]],"date-time":"2020-12-13T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1607817600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-nd\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100006254","name":"Ruhr-Universit\u00e4t Bochum","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100006254","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100006254","name":"Ruhr-Universit\u00e4t Bochum","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100006254","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["onlinelibrary.wiley.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":[],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2021,4,1]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Aims<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Timely referrals for transplantation and left ventricular assist device (LVAD) play a key role in favourable outcomes in patients with advanced heart failure (HF). The purpose of the Catheter Ablation for atrial fibrillation in patientS with end-sTage heart faiLure and Eligibility for Heart Transplantation (CASTLE-HTx) trial is to test the hypothesis that atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation has beneficial effects on mortality and morbidity during \u2018waiting time\u2019 for heart transplantation (HTx) or to prolong the time span until LVAD implantation.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods and Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>CASTLE-HTx is a randomized evaluation of ablative treatment of AF in patients with severe left ventricular dysfunction who are candidates and eligible for HTx. The primary endpoint is the composite of all-cause mortality, worsening of HF requiring a high urgent transplantation, or LVAD implantation. The secondary study endpoints are all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, cerebrovascular accidents, worsening of HF requiring unplanned hospitalization, AF burden reduction, unplanned hospitalization due to cardiovascular reason, all-cause hospitalization, quality of life, number of delivered implantable cardioverter defibrillator therapies, time to first implantable cardioverter defibrillator therapy, number of device-detected ventricular tachycardia\/ventricular fibrillation episodes, left ventricular function, exercise tolerance, and percentage of right ventricular pacing. Ventricular myocardial tissue will be obtained from patients who will undergo LVAD implantation or HTx to assess the effect of catheter ablation on human HF myocardium. CASTLE-HTx will randomize 194 patients over a minimum time period of 2 years.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>CASTLE-HTx will determine if AF ablation has beneficial effects on mortality in patients with end-stage HF who are eligible for HTx.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1002\/ehf2.13150","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2020,12,14]],"date-time":"2020-12-14T04:06:59Z","timestamp":1607918819000},"page":"1666-1674","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":17,"title":["Catheter Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation in Patients with End-Stage Heart Failure and Eligibility for Heart Transplantation"],"prefix":"10.1093","volume":"8","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0490-5862","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Christian","family":"Sohns","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Clinic for Electrophysiology, Herz- und Diabeteszentrum NRW, Ruhr-Universit\u00e4t Bochum , Bad Oeynhausen ,","place":["Germany"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0970-9182","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Nassir F.","family":"Marrouche","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Tulane Research Innovation for Arrhythmia Discoveries (TRIAD), Heart and Vascular Institute, Tulane University School of Medicine , New Orleans, LA ,","place":["USA"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Angelika","family":"Costard-J\u00e4ckle","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Clinic for Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Herz- und Diabeteszentrum NRW, Ruhr-Universit\u00e4t Bochum , Bad Oeynhausen ,","place":["Germany"]},{"name":"Heart Failure Department, Herz- und Diabeteszentrum NRW, Ruhr-Universit\u00e4t Bochum , Bad Oeynhausen ,","place":["Germany"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8034-2673","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Samuel","family":"Sossalla","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Internal Medicine II, Cardiology, Pneumology, Intensive Care, University Hospital Regensburg , Regensburg ,","place":["Germany"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7025-9315","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Leonard","family":"Bergau","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Clinic for Electrophysiology, Herz- und Diabeteszentrum NRW, Ruhr-Universit\u00e4t Bochum , Bad Oeynhausen ,","place":["Germany"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5803-3575","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Rene","family":"Schramm","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Clinic for Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Herz- und Diabeteszentrum NRW, Ruhr-Universit\u00e4t Bochum , Bad Oeynhausen ,","place":["Germany"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Uwe","family":"Fuchs","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Clinic for Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Herz- und Diabeteszentrum NRW, Ruhr-Universit\u00e4t Bochum , Bad Oeynhausen ,","place":["Germany"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7342-3686","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Hazem","family":"Omran","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Clinic for Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Herz- und Diabeteszentrum NRW, Ruhr-Universit\u00e4t Bochum , Bad Oeynhausen ,","place":["Germany"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Kerstin","family":"Rubarth","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biometry and Clinical Epidemiology, University Medical Center Berlin Charit\u00e9 , Berlin ,","place":["Germany"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Daniel","family":"Dumitrescu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Clinic for General and Interventional Cardiology\/Angiology, Herz- und Diabeteszentrum NRW, Ruhr-Universit\u00e4t Bochum , Bad Oeynhausen ,","place":["Germany"]},{"name":"Heart Failure Department, Herz- und Diabeteszentrum NRW, Ruhr-Universit\u00e4t Bochum , Bad Oeynhausen ,","place":["Germany"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5674-2076","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Frank","family":"Konietschke","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biometry and Clinical Epidemiology, University Medical Center Berlin Charit\u00e9 , Berlin ,","place":["Germany"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5385-6839","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Volker","family":"Rudolph","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Clinic for General and Interventional Cardiology\/Angiology, Herz- und Diabeteszentrum NRW, Ruhr-Universit\u00e4t Bochum , Bad Oeynhausen ,","place":["Germany"]},{"name":"Heart Failure Department, Herz- und Diabeteszentrum NRW, Ruhr-Universit\u00e4t Bochum , Bad Oeynhausen ,","place":["Germany"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6956-9110","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jan","family":"Gummert","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Clinic for Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Herz- und Diabeteszentrum NRW, Ruhr-Universit\u00e4t Bochum , Bad Oeynhausen ,","place":["Germany"]},{"name":"Heart Failure Department, Herz- und Diabeteszentrum NRW, Ruhr-Universit\u00e4t Bochum , Bad Oeynhausen ,","place":["Germany"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3037-8704","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Philipp","family":"Sommer","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Clinic for Electrophysiology, Herz- und Diabeteszentrum NRW, Ruhr-Universit\u00e4t Bochum , Bad Oeynhausen ,","place":["Germany"]},{"name":"Heart Failure Department, Herz- und Diabeteszentrum NRW, Ruhr-Universit\u00e4t Bochum , Bad Oeynhausen ,","place":["Germany"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2187-8715","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Henrik","family":"Fox","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Clinic for Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Herz- und Diabeteszentrum NRW, Ruhr-Universit\u00e4t Bochum , Bad Oeynhausen ,","place":["Germany"]},{"name":"Heart Failure Department, Herz- und Diabeteszentrum NRW, Ruhr-Universit\u00e4t Bochum , Bad Oeynhausen ,","place":["Germany"]}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"286","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2020,12,13]]},"reference":[{"key":"2026012115075319800_ehf213150-bib-0001","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"417","DOI":"10.1056\/NEJMoa1707855","article-title":"Catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation with heart failure","volume":"378","author":"Marrouche","year":"2018","journal-title":"N Engl J Med"},{"key":"2026012115075319800_ehf213150-bib-0002","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1261","DOI":"10.1001\/jama.2019.0693","article-title":"Effect of catheter ablation vs antiarrhythmic drug therapy on mortality, stroke, bleeding, and cardiac arrest among patients with atrial fibrillation: the CABANA randomized clinical trial","volume":"321","author":"Packer","year":"2019","journal-title":"JAMA"},{"key":"2026012115075319800_ehf213150-bib-0003","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1949","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jacc.2017.08.041","article-title":"Catheter ablation versus medical rate control in atrial fibrillation and systolic dysfunction: the CAMERA-MRI study","volume":"70","author":"Prabhu","year":"2017","journal-title":"J Am Coll Cardiol"},{"key":"2026012115075319800_ehf213150-bib-0004","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"131","DOI":"10.1038\/nrcardio.2015.191","article-title":"Comorbidity of atrial fibrillation and heart failure","volume":"13","author":"Ling","year":"2016","journal-title":"Nat Rev Cardiol"},{"key":"2026012115075319800_ehf213150-bib-0005","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"676","DOI":"10.1007\/s00108-013-3427-0","article-title":"Holistic therapy of chronic heart failure","volume":"55","author":"Feldmann","year":"2014","journal-title":"Internist (Berl)"},{"key":"2026012115075319800_ehf213150-bib-0006","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2977","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jacc.2017.03.001","article-title":"2017 ACC\/AHA\/HFSA\/ISHLT\/ACP advanced training statement on advanced heart failure and transplant cardiology (revision of the ACCF\/AHA\/ACP\/HFSA\/ISHLT 2010 clinical competence statement on management of patients with advanced heart failure and cardiac transplant): a report of the ACC Competency Management Committee","volume":"69","author":"Jessup","year":"2017","journal-title":"J Am Coll Cardiol"},{"key":"2026012115075319800_ehf213150-bib-0007","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1016\/j.healun.2015.10.023","article-title":"The 2016 International Society for Heart Lung Transplantation listing criteria for heart transplantation: a 10-year update","volume":"35","author":"Mehra","year":"2016","journal-title":"J Heart Lung Transplant"},{"key":"2026012115075319800_ehf213150-bib-0008","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2129","DOI":"10.1093\/eurheartj\/ehw128","article-title":"2016 ESC guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic heart failure: the Task Force for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Acute and Chronic Heart Failure of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). Developed with the special contribution of the Heart Failure Association (HFA) of the ESC","volume":"37","author":"Ponikowski","year":"2016","journal-title":"Eur Heart J"},{"key":"2026012115075319800_ehf213150-bib-0009","first-page":"843","article-title":"Permanent implantable cardiac support systems","volume":"116","author":"Gummert","year":"2019","journal-title":"Dtsch Arztebl Int"},{"key":"2026012115075319800_ehf213150-bib-0010","article-title":"2020 ESC guidelines for the diagnosis and management of atrial fibrillation developed in collaboration with the European Association of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (EACTS)","author":"Hindricks","year":"2020","journal-title":"Eur Heart J"},{"key":"2026012115075319800_ehf213150-bib-0011","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3411","DOI":"10.1093\/eurheartj\/ehx698","article-title":"Heart transplantation in Bad Oeynhausen, Germany: the heart transplant program at the Heart and Diabetes Center Bad Oeynhausen, University Hospital, Ruhr\u2014University Bochum University, Germany","volume":"38","author":"Gummert","year":"2017","journal-title":"Eur Heart J"},{"key":"2026012115075319800_ehf213150-bib-0012","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"213","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijscr.2020.05.028","article-title":"Facilitating heart transplantability in an end-stage heart failure patient with brain abscess and infected left ventricle assist device\u2014a unique case report","volume":"71","author":"Ibrahim","year":"2020","journal-title":"Int J Surg Case Rep"},{"key":"2026012115075319800_ehf213150-bib-0013","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"908","DOI":"10.1002\/ehf2.12649","article-title":"Comparing short-term outcome after implantation of the HeartWare\u00ae HVAD\u00ae and the Abbott\u00ae HeartMate 3\u00ae","volume":"7","author":"Schramm","year":"2020","journal-title":"ESC Heart Fail"},{"key":"2026012115075319800_ehf213150-bib-0014","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"165","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jchf.2015.10.015","article-title":"Utility of patient-reported outcome instruments in heart failure","volume":"4","author":"Kelkar","year":"2016","journal-title":"JACC Heart Fail"},{"key":"2026012115075319800_ehf213150-bib-0015","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"32","DOI":"10.1016\/j.yjmcc.2008.03.006","article-title":"Ranolazine improves diastolic dysfunction in isolated myocardium from failing human hearts\u2014role of late sodium current and intracellular ion accumulation","volume":"45","author":"Sossalla","year":"2008","journal-title":"J Mol Cell Cardiol"},{"key":"2026012115075319800_ehf213150-bib-0016","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1150","DOI":"10.1161\/CIRCRESAHA.110.220418","article-title":"Inhibition of elevated Ca2+\/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II improves contractility in human failing myocardium","volume":"107","author":"Sossalla","year":"2010","journal-title":"Circ Res"},{"key":"2026012115075319800_ehf213150-bib-0017","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"970","DOI":"10.1161\/CIRCULATIONAHA.113.001746","article-title":"Ca2+\/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II and protein kinase A differentially regulate sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ leak in human cardiac pathology","volume":"128","author":"Fischer","year":"2013","journal-title":"Circulation"},{"key":"2026012115075319800_ehf213150-bib-0018","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"464","DOI":"10.1093\/cvr\/cvs353","article-title":"Deranged myofilament phosphorylation and function in experimental heart failure with preserved ejection fraction","volume":"97","author":"Hamdani","year":"2013","journal-title":"Cardiovasc Res"},{"key":"2026012115075319800_ehf213150-bib-0019","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"664","DOI":"10.1161\/CIRCRESAHA.111.300105","article-title":"Crucial role for Ca2+\/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase-II in regulating diastolic stress of normal and failing hearts via titin phosphorylation","volume":"112","author":"Hamdani","year":"2013","journal-title":"Circ Res"},{"key":"2026012115075319800_ehf213150-bib-0020","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"424","DOI":"10.1016\/j.hrthm.2018.09.016","article-title":"Reverse left ventricular structural remodeling after catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation in patients with preserved left ventricular function: insights from cardiovascular magnetic resonance native T1 mapping","volume":"16","author":"Kowallick","year":"2019","journal-title":"Heart Rhythm"},{"key":"2026012115075319800_ehf213150-bib-0021","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"681","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jacep.2019.03.009","article-title":"Atrial remodeling following catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation-mediated cardiomyopathy: long-term follow-up of CAMERA-MRI study","volume":"5","author":"Sugumar","year":"2019","journal-title":"JACC Clin Electrophysiol"},{"key":"2026012115075319800_ehf213150-bib-0022","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1161\/CIRCEP.120.008461","article-title":"Impact of left ventricular function and heart failure symptoms on outcomes post ablation of atrial fibrillation in heart failure: CASTLE-AF trial","volume":"13","author":"Sohns","year":"2020","journal-title":"Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol"},{"key":"2026012115075319800_ehf213150-bib-0023","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1821","DOI":"10.1007\/s10554-020-01889-3","article-title":"Non-invasive assessment of central venous pressure in heart failure: a systematic prospective comparison of echocardiography and Swan-Ganz catheter","volume":"36","author":"Szymczyk","year":"2020","journal-title":"Int J Cardiovasc Imaging"}],"container-title":["ESC Heart Failure"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1002\/ehf2.13150","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/full-xml\/10.1002\/ehf2.13150","content-type":"application\/xml","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/eschf\/article-pdf\/8\/2\/1666\/65926629\/eschf_8_2_1666.pdf","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"syndication"},{"URL":"https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/eschf\/article-pdf\/8\/2\/1666\/65926629\/eschf_8_2_1666.pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,21]],"date-time":"2026-01-21T20:09:43Z","timestamp":1769026183000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/eschf\/article\/8\/2\/1666\/8381888"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2020,12,13]]},"references-count":23,"journal-issue":{"issue":"2","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2020,12,13]]},"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2021,4,1]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/ehf2.13150","relation":{},"ISSN":["2055-5822"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2055-5822","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published-other":{"date-parts":[[2021,4]]},"published":{"date-parts":[[2020,12,13]]},"assertion":[{"value":"2020-07-09","order":0,"name":"received","label":"Received","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}},{"value":"2020-11-15","order":2,"name":"accepted","label":"Accepted","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}},{"value":"2020-12-13","order":3,"name":"published","label":"Published","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}}]}}