Active, not recruitingNCT02105844SWISS-AFUpdated Jul 9, 2025

Swiss Atrial Fibrillation Cohort Study

An observational study in Atrial Fibrillation, sponsored by University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland. Active, not recruiting at 1 site in Switzerland. Open to participants aged 45 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2025-07-09.

Sponsored by University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland · Observational

Study type: Observational
Model: Cohort
Time perspective: Prospective
Enrollment: 2,415
Ages: 45 Years and older
Sex: All

Study summary

Swiss-AF is a prospective observational, multicentric cohort study in Switzerland. Overall, 2600 patients with documented atrial fibrillation aged >65 years will be included and followed on a yearly basis.

Yearly clinical examinations include a detailed questionnaire on personal characteristics, a resting electrocardiogram, neurocognitive function tests and questionnaires on disability and quality of life. Blood sampling and brain magnetic resonance imaging are scheduled at baseline and after 2 years of follow-up.

The main study aims of this long term prospective study are to increase our knowledge on structural brain damage and its changes over time in patients with atrial fibrillation, to gain additional insights on the incidence and underlying mechanisms of cognitive decline in patients with atrial fibrillation and to evaluate the interrelationships of structural and functional brain damage in this population.

Conditions studied

Atrial Fibrillation

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Keywords

atrial fibrillation
dementia
cognitive dysfunction
stroke
Magnetic resonance imaging

In context

Atrial Fibrillation

3,870 studies on the registry are indexed under Atrial Fibrillation; 924 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 2,415 is above the median of 300 across 1,363 observational studies indexed under Atrial Fibrillation.

Browse Atrial Fibrillation studies →

Lead sponsor

University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland is the lead sponsor of 968 studies on the registry; 191 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

Who can participate

Ages eligible: 45 Years and older
Sexes eligible: All
Accepts healthy volunteers: No
Sampling method: Non-probability sample

Study population

Consecutive patients with atrial fibrillation

Inclusion criteria

atrial fibrillation documented within the last 24 months
age >=45 years

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

acute illness
inability to provide informed consent
Only short episodes of reversible forms of atrial fibrillation

Study design

Observational model: Cohort
Time perspective: Prospective
Enrollment: 2,415 participants (actual)
Patient registry: No
Biospecimen retention: Samples with dna

Groups and cohorts

Atrial Fibrillation
Cohort Study on patients with atrial fibrillation in Switzerland

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

Stroke or systemic embolism
Time frame: 2018 (after an average of 2.5 years of follow-up)

Secondary outcomes

Hospitalization for heart failure
Time frame: 2018 (after an average of 2.5 years of follow-up)

Study locations

1 site

University Hospital
Basel, Canton of Basel-City 4031, Switzerland

References and documents

Publications

Bhend K, Paladini R, Aeschbacher S, Hennings E, Coslovsky M, Krisai P, Rodondi N, Beer J, Auricchio A, Moschovitis G, Storrer N, Chocano-Bedoya PO, Rigamonti E, Sinnecker T, Conen D, Osswald S, Bonati L, Kuhne M. Brain lesions and cognitive decline in patients with atrial fibrillation: a prospective multicentre cohort study. Swiss Med Wkly. 2026 Jan 9;156:4059. doi: 10.57187/s.4059. PubMed 41962126 ↗
Kupper BC, Reiner MF, Werlen L, Aeschbacher S, Lee P, Allemann MS, Moschovitis G, Luscher T, Camici GG, Rodondi N, Adam L, Meyre PB, Bonati LH, Sinnecker T, Kuhne M, Osswald S, Conen D, Beer JH; Swiss-AF Investigators. Plasma beta-Thromboglobulin Is Inversely Associated With Cerebral Microbleeds in Atrial Fibrillation. Stroke. 2025 Dec;56(12):3414-3423. doi: 10.1161/STROKEAHA.124.049972. Epub 2025 Sep 17. PubMed 40959897 ↗
Iten V, Herber E, Coslovsky M, Hennings E, Paladini RE, Reichlin T, Rodondi N, Muller AS, Stauber A, Beer JH, Brenner R, Conte G, Kobza R, Di Valentino M, Bedoya PC, Moradi F, Sinnecker T, Bonati LH, Kuhne M, Osswald S, Conen D, Aeschbacher S, Zuern CS; Swiss-AF and Beat-AF Investigators. Coffee consumption and adverse cardiovascular events in patients with atrial fibrillation. BMC Med. 2024 Dec 18;22(1):593. doi: 10.1186/s12916-024-03817-x. PubMed 39696255 ↗
Barbagallo M, Springer A, Vanetta C, Allemann M, Lee P, Saeedi S, Aeschbacher S, Luciani M, Bonati LH, Moschovitis G, Scheu V, Rutishauser J, Kobza R, Di Valentino M, Meyre PB, Rodondi N, Conen D, Kuhne M, Osswald S, Beer JH; Swiss-AF investigators. Coffee Consumption Correlates With Better Cognitive Performance in Patients With a High Incidence for Stroke. J Am Heart Assoc. 2025 Jan 7;14(1):e034365. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.124.034365. Epub 2024 Dec 14. PubMed 39673298 ↗
Carmine D, Aeschbacher S, Coslovsky M, Hennings E, Paladini RE, Peter R, Burger M, Reichlin T, Rodondi N, Muller AS, Ammann P, Conte G, Auricchio A, Moschovitis G, Bardoczi JB, Stauber A, De Perna ML, Zuern CS, Sinnecker T, Badertscher P, Sticherling C, Bonati LH, Conen D, Krisai P, Osswald S, Kuhne M. Blood pressure, brain lesions and cognitive decline in patients with atrial fibrillation. Front Cardiovasc Med. 2024 Sep 3;11:1449506. doi: 10.3389/fcvm.2024.1449506. eCollection 2024. PubMed 39314770 ↗
Reiner MF, Bertschi DA, Werlen L, Wiencierz A, Aeschbacher S, Lee P, Rodondi N, Moutzouri E, Bonati L, Reichlin T, Moschovitis G, Rutishauser J, Kuhne M, Osswald S, Conen D, Beer JH. Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Markers of Thrombosis in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation. Nutrients. 2024 Jan 5;16(2):178. doi: 10.3390/nu16020178. PubMed 38257071 ↗
Stauber A, Muller A, Rommers N, Aeschbacher S, Rodondi N, Bonati LH, Beer JH, Jeger RV, Kurz DJ, Liedtke C, Ammann P, Di Valentino M, Chocano P, Kobza R, Kuhne M, Conen D, Osswald S, Bernheim AM. Association of chocolate consumption with neurological and cardiovascular outcomes in atrial fibrillation: data from two Swiss atrial fibrillation cohort studies (Swiss-AF and BEAT-AF). Swiss Med Wkly. 2023 Aug 23;153:40109. doi: 10.57187/smw.2023.40109. PubMed 37609948 ↗
Hennings E, Blum S, Aeschbacher S, Coslovsky M, Knecht S, Eken C, Lischer M, Paladini RE, Krisai P, Reichlin T, Rodondi N, Beer JH, Ammann P, Conte G, De Perna ML, Kobza R, Blum MR, Bossard M, Kastner P, Ziegler A, Muller C, Bonati LH, Pfister O, Zuern CS, Conen D, Kuhne M, Osswald S; Swiss-AF Investigators. Bone Morphogenetic Protein 10-A Novel Biomarker to Predict Adverse Outcomes in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation. J Am Heart Assoc. 2023 Mar 21;12(6):e028255. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.122.028255. Epub 2023 Mar 16. PubMed 36926939 ↗
Luciani M, Muller D, Vanetta C, Diteepeng T, von Eckardstein A, Aeschbacher S, Rodondi N, Moschovitis G, Reichlin T, Sinnecker T, Wuerfel J, Bonati LH, Saeedi Saravi SS, Chocano-Bedoya P, Coslovsky M, Camici GG, Luscher TF, Kuehne M, Osswald S, Conen D, Beer JH; SWISS-AF Investigators. Trimethylamine-N-oxide is associated with cardiovascular mortality and vascular brain lesions in patients with atrial fibrillation. Heart. 2023 Feb 14;109(5):396-404. doi: 10.1136/heartjnl-2022-321300. PubMed 36593094 ↗
Zwimpfer L, Aeschbacher S, Krisai P, Coslovsky M, Springer A, Paladini RE, Girod M, Hufschmid J, Knecht S, Badertscher P, Beer JH, Bonati LH, Zuern CS, Roten L, Reichlin T, Sticherling C, Conen D, Osswald S, Kuhne M. Neurocognitive function in patients with atrial fibrillation undergoing pulmonary vein isolation. Front Cardiovasc Med. 2022 Nov 25;9:1000799. doi: 10.3389/fcvm.2022.1000799. eCollection 2022. PubMed 36505379 ↗
Girod M, Coslovsky M, Aeschbacher S, Sticherling C, Reichlin T, Roten L, Rodondi N, Ammann P, Auricchio A, Moschovitis G, Kobza R, Badertscher P, Knecht S, Krisai P, Marugg A, Aebersold H, Hennings E, Serra-Burriel M, Schwenkglenks M, Zuern CS, Bonati LH, Conen D, Osswald S, Kuhne M. Association of pulmonary vein isolation and major cardiovascular events in patients with atrial fibrillation. Clin Res Cardiol. 2022 Sep;111(9):1048-1056. doi: 10.1007/s00392-022-02015-0. Epub 2022 Apr 11. PubMed 35403852 ↗
Rivolta MW, Mainardi LT, Laureanti R, Sassi R, Kuhne M, Rodondi N, Conte G, Moschovitis G, Schlageter V, Aeschbacher S, Conen D, Reichlin T, Roten L, Osswald S, Zuern CS, Auricchio A, Corino VDA. Association between ventricular repolarization parameters and cardiovascular death in patients of the SWISS-AF cohort. Int J Cardiol. 2022 Jun 1;356:53-59. doi: 10.1016/j.ijcard.2022.03.009. Epub 2022 Mar 9. PubMed 35278571 ↗
Kuhne M, Krisai P, Coslovsky M, Rodondi N, Muller A, Beer JH, Ammann P, Auricchio A, Moschovitis G, Hayoz D, Kobza R, Shah D, Stephan FP, Schlapfer J, Di Valentino M, Aeschbacher S, Ehret G, Eken C, Monsch A, Roten L, Schwenkglenks M, Springer A, Sticherling C, Reichlin T, Zuern CS, Meyre PB, Blum S, Sinnecker T, Wurfel J, Bonati LH, Conen D, Osswald S; Swiss-AF Investigators. Silent brain infarcts impact on cognitive function in atrial fibrillation. Eur Heart J. 2022 Jun 6;43(22):2127-2135. doi: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehac020. PubMed 35171989 ↗
Bano A, Rodondi N, Beer JH, Moschovitis G, Kobza R, Aeschbacher S, Baretella O, Muka T, Stettler C, Franco OH, Conte G, Sticherling C, Zuern CS, Conen D, Kuhne M, Osswald S, Roten L, Reichlin T; of the Swiss-Investigators. Association of Diabetes With Atrial Fibrillation Phenotype and Cardiac and Neurological Comorbidities: Insights From the Swiss-AF Study. J Am Heart Assoc. 2021 Nov 16;10(22):e021800. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.121.021800. Epub 2021 Nov 10. PubMed 34753292 ↗
Hammerle P, Aeschbacher S, Springer A, Eken C, Coslovsky M, Dutilh G, Moschovitis G, Rodondi N, Chocano P, Conen D, Osswald S, Kuhne M, Zuern CS. Cardiac autonomic function and cognitive performance in patients with atrial fibrillation. Clin Res Cardiol. 2022 Jan;111(1):60-69. doi: 10.1007/s00392-021-01900-4. Epub 2021 Jun 22. PubMed 34156525 ↗
Hammerle P, Eick C, Poli S, Blum S, Schlageter V, Bauer A, Rizas KD, Eken C, Coslovsky M, Aeschbacher S, Krisai P, Meyre P, Wuerfel J, Sinnecker T, Vesin JM, Beer JH, Moschovitis G, Bonati LH, Sticherling C, Conen D, Osswald S, Kuhne M, Zuern CS. Association of Heart Rate Variability With Silent Brain Infarcts in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation. Front Cardiovasc Med. 2021 May 21;8:684461. doi: 10.3389/fcvm.2021.684461. eCollection 2021. PubMed 34095266 ↗
Benz AP, Aeschbacher S, Krisai P, Moschovitis G, Blum S, Meyre P, Blum MR, Rodondi N, Di Valentino M, Kobza R, De Perna ML, Bonati LH, Beer JH, Kuhne M, Osswald S, Conen D; BEAT-AF, Swiss-AF Investigators. Biomarkers of Inflammation and Risk of Hospitalization for Heart Failure in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation. J Am Heart Assoc. 2021 Apr 20;10(8):e019168. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.120.019168. Epub 2021 Apr 10. PubMed 33843247 ↗
Reddiess P, Aeschbacher S, Meyre P, Coslovsky M, Kuhne M, Rodondi N, Baretella O, Beer JH, Kobza R, Moschovitis G, Di Valentino M, Muller C, Steiner F, Bonati LH, Sticherling C, Osswald S, Conen D; BEAT-AF and Swiss-AF investigators. Alcohol consumption and risk of cardiovascular outcomes and bleeding in patients with established atrial fibrillation. CMAJ. 2021 Jan 25;193(4):E117-E123. doi: 10.1503/cmaj.200778. PubMed 33667180 ↗
Steiner F, Meyre PB, Aeschbacher S, Coslovsky M, Sinnecker T, Blum MR, Rodondi N, Cereda CW, di Valentino M, Wenger F, Cussigh A, Krisai P, Roten L, Reichlin T, Conen D, Osswald S, Bonati LH, Kuhne M; Swiss-AF Investigators. Association of the CHA2D(S2)-VASc Score and Its Components With Overt and Silent Ischemic Brain Lesions in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation. Front Neurol. 2021 Jan 12;11:609234. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2020.609234. eCollection 2020. PubMed 33510705 ↗
Aeschbacher S, Blum S, Meyre PB, Coslovsky M, Vischer AS, Sinnecker T, Rodondi N, Beer JH, Moschovitis G, Moutzouri E, Hunkeler C, Burkard T, Eken C, Roten L, Zuern CS, Sticherling C, Wuerfel J, Bonati LH, Conen D, Osswald S, Kuhne M; Swiss-AF Investigators*. Blood Pressure and Brain Lesions in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation. Hypertension. 2021 Feb;77(2):662-671. doi: 10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.120.16025. Epub 2020 Dec 28. PubMed 33356398 ↗
Meyre PB, Springer A, Aeschbacher S, Blum S, Rodondi N, Beer JH, Di Valentino M, Ammann P, Blum M, Mathys R, Meyer-Zurn C, Bonati LH, Sticherling C, Schwenkglenks M, Kuhne M, Conen D, Osswald S; Swiss-AF investigators. Association of psychosocial factors with all-cause hospitalizations in patients with atrial fibrillation. Clin Cardiol. 2021 Jan;44(1):51-57. doi: 10.1002/clc.23503. Epub 2020 Nov 10. PubMed 33169859 ↗
Hammerle P, Eick C, Blum S, Schlageter V, Bauer A, Rizas KD, Eken C, Coslovsky M, Aeschbacher S, Krisai P, Meyre P, Vesin JM, Rodondi N, Moutzouri E, Beer J, Moschovitis G, Kobza R, Di Valentino M, Corino VDA, Laureanti R, Mainardi L, Bonati LH, Sticherling C, Conen D, Osswald S, Kuhne M, Zuern CS; Swiss-AF Study Investigators. Heart Rate Variability Triangular Index as a Predictor of Cardiovascular Mortality in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation. J Am Heart Assoc. 2020 Aug 4;9(15):e016075. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.120.016075. Epub 2020 Jul 28. PubMed 32750290 ↗
Gugganig R, Aeschbacher S, Leong DP, Meyre P, Blum S, Coslovsky M, Beer JH, Moschovitis G, Muller D, Anker D, Rodondi N, Stempfel S, Mueller C, Meyer-Zurn C, Kuhne M, Conen D, Osswald S; Swiss-AF Investigators. Frailty to predict unplanned hospitalization, stroke, bleeding, and death in atrial fibrillation. Eur Heart J Qual Care Clin Outcomes. 2021 Jan 25;7(1):42-51. doi: 10.1093/ehjqcco/qcaa002. PubMed 31977016 ↗

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026

No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Jul 9, 2025, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Registry details

Key details

Study ID: NCT02105844
Lead sponsor: University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland
Collaborators: Swiss National Science Foundation, Medical Image Analysis Center (MIAC) Basel, Schiller AG Baar, Clinical Trial Unit, University Hospital Basel, Switzerland, Cardiovascular Research Institute (CRIB) Basel, Cardiocentro Ticino
Responsible party: Sponsor
First posted: Apr 7, 2014
Start date: Mar 2014
Primary completion: Mar 2030 (estimated)
Completion: Mar 2030 (estimated)
Last update: Jul 9, 2025

Study contacts

Stefan Osswald, MD, Prof.

study director · University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland

Michael Kuehne, MD, PD, exec. MBA

principal investigator · University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland

David Conen, MD MPH

principal investigator · McMaster University, Population Health Research Institute, Hamilton, Canada

Oversight

Data monitoring committee: No

View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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