TY - JOUR T1 - Rate and rhythm control showed similar symptom improvement in atrial fibrillation JF - Evidence Based Medicine JO - Evid Based Med SP - 113 LP - 113 DO - 10.1136/ebm.6.4.113 VL - 6 IS - 4 A2 - , Y1 - 2001/07/01 UR - http://ebm.bmj.com/content/6/4/113.abstract N2 - (2000) Lancet 356, 1789. Hohnloser SH, Kuck KH, Lilienthal J, for the PIAF Investigators.. Rhythm or rate control in atrial fibrillation—pharmacological intervention in atrial fibrillation (PIAF): a randomised trial.. Nov 25;. :. –94.OpenUrlCrossRefPubMedWeb of Science
 
 QUESTION: In patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), how do rate control and sinus rhythm control compare in improving symptoms? Randomised (unclear allocation concealment*), unblinded,* controlled trial with 12 months follow up. 21 centres in Germany. 252 patients who were 18–75 years of age (mean age 60 y, 73% men) and who presented with symptomatic persistent AF between 7 and 360 days in duration. Exclusion criteria included congestive heart failure, New York Heart Association class IV; unstable angina; acute myocardial infarction in the previous 30 days; AF with mean rate <50 beats/minute; AF in conjunction with the Wolff Parkinson White syndrome; and coronary artery bypass graft or valve replacement in the previous 3 months. Follow up was 96%. Patients were allocated to rate control (n=125) or to rhythm control (n=127). In rate control, the therapeutic goal was to achieve an improvement in symptoms by controlling ventricular rate with the use … ER -