Harry Crijns

Professor

Harry Crijns is professor and chair of Cardiology and board member of the Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM) at Maastricht UMC+. He studied medicine at the University of Amsterdam and was trained in cardiology and electrophysiology in Groningen and Maastricht. He is a Fellow of the ESC and a past board member of the EHRA. He is also past Chair of the Netherlands Society of Cardiology. He served on several guidelines committees for the management of AF. Currently he is the chairman of the scientific advisory board of the Dutch Heart Foundation.

His primary research focus continues to be atrial fibrillation (AF). He founded the RACE trials in the Netherlands and led the Euro Heart Survey on AF (ESC). He has established his reputation by introducing innovative concepts for diagnosis and treatment of AF by showing that - quite contrary to longstanding beliefs - electrical management does not change prognosis. This revolutionised management of the arrhythmia worldwide with the effect that major interventions like electrical cardioversion, catheter ablation and antiarrhythmic drug therapy are applied in a much more personalized fashion.

Subsequently his group showed that rate control in AF can be individualized thereby removing the previously used strict heart rate targets from the international guidelines. He also performed the Euro Heart Survey on AF and made many contributions to the field of stroke management in AF, such as the construction of well-recognised AF specific risk stratification scores for AF progression (HATCH), ischemic stroke (CHA2DS2-VASc) and major bleeding (HAS-BLED). These scores have practically conquered the medical AF community and improved patient care whilst boosting new clinical research throughout the world.

His research group now focusses on recent-onset AF, hybrid AF ablation, upstream therapy and vascular mechanisms for AF progression and stroke in idiopathic atrial fibrillation. He is (co-)author on over 650 scientific articles, with 56,677 citations and Hirsch-index of 100.

Department of Cardiology
P. Debyelaan 25, 6229 HX Maastricht 
PO Box 5800, 6202 AZ Maastricht


  • 2018
    • Adriaans, B. P., Heuts, S., Gerretsen, S., Cheriex, E. C., Vos, R., Natour, E., Maessen, J. G., Sardari Nia, P., Crijns, H. J. G. M., Wildberger, J. E., & Schalla, S. (2018). Aortic elongation part I: the normal aortic ageing process. Heart, 104(21), 1772-1777. https://doi.org/10.1136/heartjnl-2017-312866
    • Heuts, S., Adriaans, B. P., Gerretsen, S., Natour, E., Vos, R., Cheriex, E. C., Crijns, H. J. G. M., Wildberger, J. E., Maessen, J. G., Schalla, S., & Sardari Nia, P. (2018). Aortic elongation part II: the risk of acute type A aortic dissection. Heart, 104(21), 1778-1782. https://doi.org/10.1136/heartjnl-2017-312867
    • Pluymaekers, N. A. H. A., Dudink, E. A. M. P., Boersma, L., Erkuner, O., Gelissen, M., van Dijk, V., Wijffels, M., Dinh, D., Vernooy, K., Crijns, H. J. G. M., Balt, J., & Luermans, J. G. L. M. (2018). External electrical cardioversion in patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices: Is it safe and is immediate device interrogation necessary?Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology, 41(10), 1336-1340. https://doi.org/10.1111/pace.13467
    • Podziemski, P., Zeemering, S., Kuklik, P., van Hunnik, A., Maesen, B., Maessen, J., Crijns, H. J., Verheule, S., & Schotten, U. (2018). Rotors Detected by Phase Analysis of Filtered, Epicardial Atrial Fibrillation Electrograms Colocalize With Regions of Conduction Block. Circulation-Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology, 11(10), Article e005858. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCEP.117.005858
    • Peeters, F. E. C. M., Dudink, E. A. M. P., Kimenai, D. M., Weijs, B., Altintas, S., Heckman, L. I. B., Mihl, C., Schurgers, L. J., Wildberger, J. E., Meex, S. J. R., Kietselaer, B. L. J. H., & Crijns, H. J. G. M. (2018). Vitamin K Antagonists, Non-Vitamin K Antagonist Oral Anticoagulants, and Vascular Calcification in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation. TH open : companion journal to thrombosis and haemostasis, 2(4), e391-e398. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0038-1675578
    • Eijsvoogel, N. G., Hendriks, B. M. F., Willigers, J. L., Martens, B., Carati, L. F., Horehledova, B., Kietselaer, B. L. J. H., Crijns, H. J. G. M., Wildberger, J. E., & Das, M. (2018). Personalization of injection protocols to the individual patient's blood volume and automated tube voltage selection (ATVS) in coronary CTA. PLOS ONE, 13(9), Article e0203682. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0203682
    • Smulders, M. W., Bekkers, S. C. A. M., van Cauteren, Y. J. M., Liefhebber, A., Vermeer, J. R., Vervuurt, J., van Dieijen-Visser, M. P., Mingels, A. M. A., Rocca, H.-P. B.-L., Dagnelie, P. C., Wildberger, J. E., Crijns, H. J. G. M., & Kietselaer, B. L. J. H. (2018). Risk stratification and role for additional diagnostic testing in patients with acute chest pain and normal high-sensitivity cardiac troponin levels. PLOS ONE, 13(9), Article e0203506. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0203506
    • Heijman, J., Dobrev, D., & Crijns, H. J. G. M. (2018). Electrocardiographic characteristics associated with atrial fibrillation - What do they tell us?International Journal of Cardiology, 266, 143-144. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijcard.2018.04.071
    • Proietti, M., Laroche, C., Nieuwlaat, R., Crijns, H. J. G. M., Maggioni, A. P., Lane, D. A., Boriani, G., Lip, G. Y. H., & EORP-AF Gen Pilot Registry; Euro Heart Survey AF Investigators (2018). Increased burden of comorbidities and risk of cardiovascular death in atrial fibrillation patients in Europe over ten years: A comparison between EORP-AF pilot and EHS-AF registries. European journal of internal medicine, 55, 28-34. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejim.2018.05.016
    • Ter Bekke, R. M. A., David, M., Krapels, I. P. C., Crijns, H. J. G. M., & Volders, P. G. A. (2018). Beauty and the beat: A complicated case of multifocal ectopic Purkinje-related premature contractions. HeartRhythm Case Reports, 4(9), 429-433. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrcr.2018.05.010
    • Author collaboration (2018). Multi-ethnic genome-wide association study for atrial fibrillation. Nature Genetics, 50(9), 1225-1233. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41588-018-0133-9
    • Rienstra, M., Hobbelt, A. H., Alings, M., Tijssen, J. G. P., Smit, M. D., Brugemann, J., Geelhoed, B., Tieleman, R. G., Hillege, H. L., Tukkie, R., Van Veldhuisen, D. J., Crijns, H. J. G. M., Van Gelder, I. C., & RACE 3 Investigators (2018). Targeted therapy of underlying conditions improves sinus rhythm maintenance in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation: results of the RACE 3 trial. European Heart Journal, 39(32), 2987-2996. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehx739
    • Erkuner, O., Dudink, E. A. M. P., Nieuwlaat, R., Rienstra, M., Van Gelder, I. C., Camm, A. J., Capucci, A., Breithardt, G., LeHeuzey, J.-Y., Lip, G. Y. H., Crijns, H. J. G. M., & Luermans, J. G. L. M. (2018). Effect of Systemic Hypertension With Versus Without Left Ventricular Hypertrophy on the Progression of Atrial Fibrillation (from the Euro Heart Survey). American Journal of Cardiology, 122(4), 578-583. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amjcard.2018.04.053
    • Peeters, F. E. C. M., Meex, S. J. R., Dweck, M. R., Aikawa, E., Crijns, H. J. G. M., Schurgers, L. J., & Kietselaer, B. L. J. H. (2018). Calcific aortic valve stenosis: hard disease in the heart. European Heart Journal, 39(28), 2618–2624. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehx653
    • Fumagalli, S., Said, S. A., Laroche, C., Gabbai, D., Boni, S., Marchionni, N., Boriani, G., Maggioni, A. P., Musialik-Lydka, A., Sokal, A., Petersen, J., Crijns, H. J. G. M., Lip, G. Y. H., & EORP-AF Gen Pilot Registry Investi (2018). Management and prognosis of atrial fibrillation in diabetic patients: an EORP-AF General Pilot Registry report. European Heart Journal-Cardiovascular Pharmacotherapy, 4(3), 172-179. https://doi.org/10.1093/ehjcvp/pvx037
    • Zeemering, S., Lankveld, T. A. R., Bonizzi, P., Limantoro, I., Bekkers, S. C. A. M., Crijns, H. J. G. M., & Schotten, U. (2018). The electrocardiogram as a predictor of successful pharmacological cardioversion and progression of atrial fibrillation. EP Europace, 20(7), E96-E104. https://doi.org/10.1093/europace/eux234
    • de Jong, M. R., Hoogerwaard, A. F., Adiyaman, A., Smit, J. J. J., Misier, A. R. R., Heeg, J.-E., van Hasselt, B. A. A. M., Van Gelder, I. C., Crijns, H. J. G. M., Lozano, I., Ramos, J. E., Alzueta, F., Ibanez, B., Rubio, J. M., Arribas, F., Aracama, J. M., Brugada, J., Mont, L., & Elvan, A. (2018). Treatment of atrial fibrillation in patients with enhanced sympathetic tone by pulmonary vein isolation or pulmonary vein isolation and renal artery denervation: clinical background and study design. Clinical research in cardiology, 107(7), 539-547. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00392-018-1214-6
    • Wong, J. A., Conen, D., Van Gelder, I. C., McIntyre, W. F., Crijns, H. J., Wang, J., Gold, M. R., Hohnloser, S. H., Lau, C. P., Capucci, A., Botto, G., Gronefeld, G., Israel, C. W., Connolly, S. J., & Healey, J. S. (2018). Progression of Device-Detected Subclinical Atrial Fibrillation and the Risk of Heart Failure. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 71(23), 2603-2611. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2018.03.519
    • Pisters, R., Elvan, A., Crijns, H. J. G. M., & Hemels, M. E. W. (2018). Optimal long-term antithrombotic management of atrial fibrillation: life cycle management. Netherlands Heart Journal, 26(6), 311-320. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12471-018-1118-0
    • Dudink, E. A. M. P., Erkuner, O., Berg, J., Nieuwlaat, R., de Vos, C. B., Weijs, B., Capucci, A., Camm, A. J., Breithardt, G., Le Heuzey, J.-Y., Luermans, J. G. L. M., & Crijns, H. J. G. M. (2018). The influence of progression of atrial fibrillation on quality of life: a report from the Euro Heart Survey. EP Europace, 20(6), 929-934. https://doi.org/10.1093/europace/eux217
    • Dudink, E. A. M. P., Peeters, F. E. C. M., Altintas, S., Heckman, L. I. B., Haest, R. J., Kragten, H., Kietselaer, B. L. J. H., Wildberger, J., Luermans, J. G. L. M., Weijs, B., & Crijns, H. J. G. M. (2018). Agatston score of the descending aorta is independently associated with coronary events in a low-risk population. Open Heart, 5(2), Article 000893. https://doi.org/10.1136/openhrt-2018-000893
    • Peeters, F. E. C. M., van Mourik, M. J. W., Meex, S. J. R., Bucerius, J., Schalla, S. M., Gerretsen, S. C., Mihl, C., Dweck, M. R., Schurgers, L. J., Wildberger, J. E., Crijns, H. J. G. M., & Kietselaer, B. L. J. H. (2018). Bicuspid Aortic Valve Stenosis and the Effect of Vitamin K2 on Calcification Using F-18-Sodium Fluoride Positron Emission Tomography/Magnetic Resonance: The BASIK2 Rationale and Trial Design. Nutrients, 10(4), Article 386. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu10040386
    • Erkuner, O., Rienstra, M., Van Gelder, I. C., Schotten, U., Crijns, H. J. G. M., & Luermans, J. G. L. M. (2018). Stroke risk in patients with device-detected atrial high-rate episodes. Netherlands Heart Journal, 26(4), 177-181. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12471-017-1047-3
    • Maesen, B., Pison, L., Vroomen, M., Luermans, J. G., Vernooy, K., Maessen, J. G., Crijns, H. J., & LaMeir, M. (2018). Three-year follow-up of hybrid ablation for atrial fibrillation. European Journal of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, 53(1), 26-32. https://doi.org/10.1093/ejcts/ezy117
    • Dan, G. A., Badila, E., Weiss, E., Laroche, C., Boriani, G., Dan, A., Tavazzi, L., Maggioni, A. P., Crijns, H. J., Popescu, R., Blommaert, D., Streb, W., Lip, G. Y. H., & EORP-AF Gen Pilot Registry Inve (2018). Arterial hypertension in patients with atrial fibrillation in Europe: A report from the EURObservational Research Programme pilot survey on atrial fibrillation. International Journal of Cardiology, 254, 136-141. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijcard.2017.10.092
    • Weijs, B., Limantoro, I., Delhaas, T., de Vos, C. B., Blaauw, Y., Houben, R. P. M., Verheule, S., Pisters, R., & Crijns, H. J. G. M. (2018). Cardioversion of persistent atrial fibrillation is associated with a 24-hour relapse gap: Observations from prolonged postcardioversion rhythm monitoring. Clinical Cardiology, 41(3), 366-371. https://doi.org/10.1002/clc.22877
    • Kotecha, D., Breithardt, G., Camm, A. J., Lip, G. Y. H., Schotten, U., Ahlsson, A., Arnar, D., Atar, D., Auricchio, A., Bax, J., Benussi, S., Blomstrom-Lundqvist, C., Borggrefe, M., Boriani, G., Brandes, A., Calkins, H., Casadei, B., Castella, M., Chua, W., ... Kirchhof, P. (2018). Integrating new approaches to atrial fibrillation management: the 6th AFNET/EHRA Consensus Conference. EP Europace, 20(3), 395-407. https://doi.org/10.1093/europace/eux318
    • Hazebroek, M. R., Krapels, I., Verdonschot, J., van den Wijngaard, A., Vanhoutte, E., Hoos, M., Snijders, L., van Montfort, L., Witjens, M., Dennert, R., Crijns, H. J. G. M., Brunner-La Rocca, H.-P., Brunner, H. G., & Heymans, S. (2018). Prevalence of Pathogenic Gene Mutations and Prognosis Do Not Differ in Isolated Left Ventricular Dysfunction Compared With Dilated Cardiomyopathy. Circulation-Heart Failure, 11(3), Article e004682 . https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCHEARTFAILURE.117.004682
    • Zink, M. D., Marx, N., Crijns, H. J. G. M., & Schotten, U. (2018). Opportunities and challenges of large-scale screening for atrial fibrillation. Herzschrittmachertherapie und Elektrophysiologie, 29(1), 57-61. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00399-017-0550-y
    • Spronk, H. M. H., Padro, T., Siland, J. E., Prochaska, J. H., Winters, J., van der Wal, A. C., Posthuma, J. J., Lowe, G., d'Alessandro, E., Wenzel, P., Coenen, D. M., Reitsma, P. H., Ruf, W., van Gorp, R. H., Koenen, R. R., Vajen, T., Alshaikh, N. A., Wolberg, A. S., Macrae, F. L., ... ten Cate, H. (2018). Atherothrombosis and Thromboembolism: Position Paper from the Second Maastricht Consensus Conference on Thrombosis. Thrombosis and Haemostasis, 118(2), 229-250. https://doi.org/10.1160/TH17-07-0492
    • Henskens, Y. M. C., Gulpen, A. J. W., van Oerle, R., Wetzels, R., Verhezen, P., Spronk, H., Schalla, S., Crijns, H. J., ten Cate, H., & ten Cate-Hoek, A. (2018). Detecting clinically relevant rivaroxaban or dabigatran levels by routine coagulation tests or thromboelastography in a cohort of patients with atrial fibrillation. Thrombosis Journal, 16(1), Article 3. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12959-017-0160-2
    • Smedema, J.-P., van Geuns, R.-J., Ector, J., Heidbuchel, H., Ainslie, G., & Crijns, H. J. G. M. (2018). Right ventricular involvement and the extent of left ventricular enhancement with magnetic resonance predict adverse outcome in pulmonary sarcoidosis. Esc heart failure, 5(1), 157-171. https://doi.org/10.1002/ehf2.12201
    • Smulders, M., Bekkers, B., VAN Cauteren, Y., Liefhebber, A., Vermeer, J. R., Vervuurt, J., van Dieijen - Visser, M. P., Mingels, A., Brunner-La Rocca, H., Dagnelie, P., Wildberger, J., Crijns, H., & Kietselaer, B. (2018). Acute pijn op de borst zonder afwijkend troponine: Is aanvullende niet-invasieve diagnostiek zinvol?Nederlands Tijdschrift voor Geneeskunde, 162(51-52), 1-7. Article D3568. https://www.ntvg.nl/system/files/publications/d3568.pdf
    • Eijsvoogel, N. G., Hendriks, B. M. F., Park, H. B., Altintas, S., Mihl, C., Horehledova, B., Kietselaer, B. L. J. H., Crijns, H. J. G. M., Wildberger, J. E., & Das, M. (2018). The role of standard non-ECG gated chest CT in cardiac assessment: design and rationale of the Cardiac Pathologies in standard chest CT (CaPaCT) study. European Radiology Experimental, 2(1), 1-5. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41747-018-0039-4
  • 2017
    • Jaarsma, C., Vink, H., van Haare, J., Bekkers, S. C. A. M., van Rooijen, B. D., Backes, W. H., Wildberger, J. E., Crijns, H. J., van Teeffelen, J., & Schalla, S. (2017). Non-invasive assessment of microvascular dysfunction in patients with microvascular angina. International Journal of Cardiology, 248, 433-439. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijcard.2017.05.010
    • Guerra, F., Brambatti, M., Nieuwlaat, R., Marcucci, M., Dudink, E., Crijns, H. J. G. M., Matassini, M. V., & Capucci, A. (2017). Symptomatic atrial fibrillation and risk of cardiovascular events: data from the Euro Heart Survey. EP Europace, 19(12), 1922-1929. https://doi.org/10.1093/europace/eux205
    • Smedema, J.-P., van Geuns, R.-J., Ainslie, G., Ector, J., Heidbuchel, H., & Crijns, H. J. G. M. (2017). Right ventricular involvement in cardiac sarcoidosis demonstrated with cardiac magnetic resonance. Esc heart failure, 4(4), 535-544. https://doi.org/10.1002/ehf2.12166
    • Heijman, J., Dobrev, D., & Crijns, H. J. G. M. (2017). Targeting supraventricular ectopic complexes: Which approach should be used and how does it affect atrial fibrillation?International Journal of Cardiology, 244, 202-203. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijcard.2017.06.013
    • Pisters, R., van Vugt, S. P. G., Brouwer, M. A., Elvan, A., ten Holt, W. L., Zwart, P. A. G., Kirchhof, P., Crijns, H. J. G. M., & Hemels, M. E. W. (2017). Real-life use of Rivaroxaban in the Netherlands: data from the Xarelto for Prevention of Stroke in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation (XANTUS) registry. Netherlands Heart Journal, 25(10), 551-558. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12471-017-1009-9
    • Smulders, M. W., Jaarsma, C., Nelemans, P. J., Bekkers, S. C. A. M., Bucerius, J., Leiner, T., Crijns, H. J. G. M., Wildberger, J. E., & Schalla, S. (2017). Comparison of the prognostic value of negative non-invasive cardiac investigations in patients with suspected or known coronary artery disease-ameta-analysis. European Heart Journal Cardiovascular Imaging, 18(9), 980-987. https://doi.org/10.1093/ehjci/jex014
    • Phan, K., Pison, L., Wang, N., Kanagaratnam, A., Yan, T. D., Maesen, B., Maessen, J. G., Crijns, H. J., & La Meir, M. (2017). Effectiveness and safety of simultaneous hybrid thoracoscopic endocardial catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation in obese and non-obese patients. Journal of Thoracic Disease, 9(9), 3087-3096. https://doi.org/10.21037/jtd.2017.08.102
    • Mafi-rad, M., Van‘t Sant, J., Blaauw, Y., Doevendans, P. A., Cramer, M. J., Crijns, H. J., Prinzen, F. W., Meine, M., & Vernooy, K. (2017). Regional Left Ventricular Electrical Activation and Peak Contraction Are Closely Related in Candidates for Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy. JACC: Clinical Electrophysiology, 3(8), 854-862. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacep.2017.03.014
    • Vroomen, M., La Meir, M., Maessen, J. G., Crijns, H. J., & Pison, L. (2017). Adenosine administration during hybrid atrial fibrillation ablation to test dormant pulmonary vein conduction. Journal of Interventional Cardiac Electrophysiology, 49(1), 59-65. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10840-017-0239-5
    • Altintas, S., Dinh, T., Marcks, N. G. H. M., Kok, M., Aerts, A. J. J., Weijs, B., Blaauw, Y., Wildberger, J. E., Das, M., Kietselaer, B. L. J. H., & Crijns, H. J. G. M. (2017). Presence and extent of cardiac computed tomography angiography defined coronary artery disease in patients presenting with syncope. Netherlands Heart Journal, 25(6), 376-387. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12471-017-0970-7
    • Van Gelder, I. C., Healey, J. S., Crijns, H. J. G. M., Wang, J., Hohnloser, S. H., Gold, M. R., Capucci, A., Lau, C.-P., Morillo, C. A., Hobbelt, A. H., Rienstra, M., & Connolly, S. J. (2017). Duration of device-detected subclinical atrial fibrillation and occurrence of stroke in ASSERT. European Heart Journal, 38(17), 1339-1344. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehx042
    • Smedema, J.-P., van Geuns, R.-J., Truter, R., Mayosi, B. M., & Crijns, H. J. G. M. (2017). Contrast-enhanced cardiac Magnetic Resonance: distinction between cardiac sarcoidosis and infarction scar. Sarcoidosis Vasculitis and Diffuse Lung Diseases, 34(4), 307-314. https://doi.org/10.36141/svdld.v34i4.5715
    • Hobbelt, A. H., Spronk, H. M., Crijns, H. J. G. M., Ten Cate, H., Rienstra, M., & Van Gelder, I. C. (2017). Prethrombotic State in Young Very Low- Risk Patients With Atrial Fibrillation. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 69(15), 1990-1992. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2017.01.057
    • Katritsis, D. G., Boriani, G., Cosio, F. G., Hindricks, G., Jais, P., Josephson, M. E., Keegan, R., Kim, Y.-H., Knight, B. P., Kuck, K.-H., Lane, D. A., Lip, G. Y. H., Malmborg, H., Oral, H., Pappone, C., Themistoclakis, S., Wood, K. A., Blomstrom-Lundqvist, C., Gorenek, B., ... Rickard, J. (2017). European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA) consensus document on the management of supraventricular arrhythmias, endorsed by Heart Rhythm Society (HRS), Asia-Pacific Heart Rhythm Society (APHRS), and Sociedad Latinoamericana de Estimulacion Cardiaca y Electrofisiologia (SOLAECE). EP Europace, 19(3), 465-511. https://doi.org/10.1093/europace/euw301
    • Kloosterman, M., Rienstra, M., Crijns, H. J., Healey, J. S., & Van Gelder, I. C. (2017). The left atrium: An overlooked prognostic tool. European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, 24(4), 389-391. https://doi.org/10.1177/2047487316686633