Rationale and design of the ODIn-AF Trial: randomized evaluation of the prevention of silent cerebral thromboembolism by oral anticoagulation with dabigatran after pulmonary vein isolation for atrial fibrillation.

Oral anticoagulation treatment following clinically successful catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation is controversial. Recent guidelines recommend continuation of oral anticoagulation in all patients with CHA2DS2VASc score ≥ 2 even if there is no evidence of recurrent atrial fibrillation. Due to lack of prospective data, the net clinical benefit of oral anticoagulation after successful ablation in these patients is unclear. As oral anticoagulation bears the risk of severe bleeding events, the ODIn-AF study aims to evaluate the effect of oral anticoagulation on the incidence of silent cerebral embolic events in patients with a high risk for embolic events, but free from symptomatic atrial fibrillation after successful pulmonary vein ablation.