Benefits of a 5-day Holter

Introduction: The Holter is the test of choice to identify the presence of recurrences in the rhythm of atrial fibrillation in patients who have undergone an ablation of this arrhythmia. The results of this diagnostic test are essential to be able to establish a pharmacological treatment optimized for the new situation of each patient. The aim of this study is to compare the number of AF episodes that a Holter placed in a patient during 24 hours can detect with a 5-day Holter. Methods: Prospective observational study that will be carried out from March 2023 in the arrhythmia unit of the Hospital Clínic de Barcelona. Once accepted by the center's ethics committee, 100 participants will be recruited and fitted with the ePatch device following the manufacturer's recommendations. The device will be removed 5 days later to be able to analyze the data. The number of episodes observed in the first 24 hours and the total number of episodes observed during the 5 days will be compared. The participants' tolerance to the device and the state of the skin where the device's dressing adheres will also be analysed. Expected results: A long-term Holter is more effective in detecting recurrences in atrial fibrillation rhythm than a 24-hour Holter and therefore guarantees the quality of medical treatment after AF ablation.