We read the comments sent by Bin Abdulhak et al with interest. Their remarks regarding the limitations of the currently available evidence for the use of novel oral anticoagulants in the cardiac ablation clinical setting are well known to the scientific community. There are currently no international guidelines available regarding the specific use of novel oral anticoagulants, including dabigatran etexilate, during cardiac ablation procedures, despite their wide use in patients with atrial fibrillation.

With reference to the authors’ suggestion for a randomized controlled trial with dabigatran in catheter ablation in patients with atrial fibrillation, I would like to inform you about the RE-CIRCUIT study (Randomized Evaluation of dabigatran etexilate Compared to warfarIn in pulmonaRy vein ablation: assessment of an uninterrupted peri-proCedUral antIcoagulation sTrategy). RE-CIRCUIT is an international study, which will assess the use of uninterrupted dabigatran etexilate therapy during ablation compared with uninterrupted warfarin in >600 patients with either paroxysmal or persistent atrial fibrillation, who are scheduled to undergo an ablation procedure. Treatment will be equally and randomly split between the patients receiving either dabigatran etexilate 150 mg twice daily or warfarin at an international normalized ratio of 2.0 to 3.0.

Although some clinical cases, observational studies, and meta-analyses with dabigatran etexilate are already published, the information on periprocedural management resulting from these nonrandomized observational studies or meta-analyses of various designs is limited. Therefore, the RE-CIRCUIT study will provide valuable insights with regard to the practical management of patients requiring anticoagulation during these procedures.