The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if using a WhatsApp-based chatbot called PROMBot-FA can help people recover after atrial fibrillation ablation. The main questions it aims to answer are:
* Is the chatbot easy and practical for people to use after their procedure? * Do people find the chatbot helpful for sharing their symptoms and health updates?
Researchers will compare follow-up care supported by the chatbot to standard hospital follow-up visits. Participants will:
* Be randomly assigned to either use the chatbot or receive usual follow-up care. * Report their symptoms, well-being, and any problems after ablation for 3 months. * Complete short questionnaires about their experience using the chatbot.
This study will help researchers understand whether chatbot follow-up is feasible and acceptable for people after atrial fibrillation ablation and guide future larger studies.
age 18 years or older;
documented diagnosis of paroxysmal or persistent AF based on clinical assessment and coded according to the International Classification of Diseases, 11th Revision;
undergone catheter ablation for AF at Hospital de Santa Marta during the study recruitment period;
able to use the PROMBot-FA chatbot independently or with caregiver assistance, defined as Portuguese literacy sufficient to understand instructions and ability to operate a smartphone;
severe cognitive impairment preventing comprehension of study procedures, such as moderate-to-severe dementia or other neurological conditions limiting capacity to consent;
severe uncorrected visual impairment or motor disability preventing smartphone operation even with caregiver support;
explicit refusal to use digital technology or unwillingness to share health data required for the study;
clinical or contextual conditions rendering 3-month follow-up unfeasible, including anticipated relocation outside the hospital catchment area or concurrent participation in another interventional study with overlapping endpoints; or
Ana Rita Londral, PhD
Lead sponsor
Value for Health CoLAB
Sponsor institution