{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,18]],"date-time":"2026-10-18T22:39:12Z","timestamp":1792363152890,"version":"4.4.0"},"reference-count":24,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,6]],"date-time":"2025-11-06T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1762387200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001659","name":"Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001659","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Neurol."],"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Rationale<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Detection of atrial fibrillation (AFib) and subsequent anticoagulation therapy reduce the risk of recurrent stroke, while prolonged rhythm monitoring significantly increases AFib detection. Thus, prolonged smartwatch-based ECG monitoring after cryptogenic ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) could lead to a reduction of recurrent stroke by prompting adequate anticoagulation therapy.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Aim<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>WATCH AFib investigates the accuracy of smartwatches for AFib detection in patients with cryptogenic TIA or ischemic stroke compared to an implantable event recorder.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Sample size<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>40 cases of AFib are required to estimate the sensitivity for AFib detection per patient with a precision of about 10%. As AFib is observed in 9%\u221216% of cryptogenic strokes, we intend to enroll 400 patients.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>WATCH AFib is a prospective, intraindividual-controlled, multicentre clinical study in patients with cryptogenic ischemic stroke or TIA. ECG-data from smartwatches and event recorders is continuously monitored by two independent cardiologists for a follow-up period of 6 months. If AFib is detected, therapeutic options are discussed at the including center.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Primary outcome<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>To compare smartwatch- and event recorder- based sensitivity and specificity of AFib detection per patient after 6 months.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Discussion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Prolonged AFib screening after stroke is currently suboptimal. Smartwatches might be a non-invasive, cost-effective, widely available alternative for prolonged rhythm monitoring. Usability in severely affected patients and patients with persisting neurological deficits might be limited.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Trial registration<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      The study is registered on\n                      <jats:ext-link>clinicaltrials.gov<\/jats:ext-link>\n                      . Registration number: 20230726.\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fneur.2025.1661087","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,6]],"date-time":"2025-11-06T11:36:46Z","timestamp":1762429006000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["WATCH AFib: smartwatches for detection of atrial fibrillation in secondary prevention of cryptogenic stroke\u2014protocol for a prospective, intraindividual-controlled, multicentre clinical 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