Study population
This trial was a randomized, open-label, multicenter trial that included 200 patients undergoing first-time CBA for drug-refractory AF who had been taking once-daily rivaroxaban (n=100) or edoxaban (n=100) between July 2019 and June 2020. Paroxysmal AF (PAF) was defined as a self-terminating AF that lasted ≤ 7 days. The exclusion criteria were: patients younger than 18 years, mechanical prosthetic valve or moderate-severe mitral stenosis, a history of AF ablation or cardiac surgery, chronic kidney disease (creatinine clearance rate [CCr] <30 mL/min or dialysis), an acute stroke within 6 months, and a refusal to take NOACs in the long-term period. The study protocol was approved by the institutional review board of each institute and complied with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. Written informed consent was obtained from all enrolled patients.