BACKGROUND: The ganglionated plexuses (GP) of the intrinsic cardiac autonomic system may play a role in atrial fibrillation (AF). OBJECTIVES: We hypothesized that ablating the ectopy-triggering GPs (ET-GP) prevents AF. METHODS: GANGLIA-AF (NCT02487654) was a prospective, randomized, controlled, 3-centre trial. ET-GP were mapped using high frequency stimulation (HFS), delivered within the atrial refractory period and ablated until non-functional. If triggered AF became incessant, atrioventricular dissociating GPs (AVD-GP) were ablated. We compared GP ablation (GPA) without pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) against PVI, in patients with paroxysmal AF. Follow-up was for 12 months including 3-monthly 48hr Holter monitors. The primary endpoint was documented ≥30s atrial arrhythmia after a 3-month blanking period. RESULTS: 102 randomized patients were analysed on a per-protocol basis after GPA (n=52) or PVI (n=50). GPA patients had 89±26 HFS sites tested, identifying median 18.5 (IQR 16; 21%) GPs. RF ablation time in GPA was 22.9±9.8mins and 38±14.4mins in PVI (p<0.0001). The freedom from ≥30s atrial arrhythmia at 12-month follow-up with GPA was 50% (26/52) vs 64% (32/50) with PVI (log rank p=0.09). ET-GP ablation without AVD-GP ablation achieved 58% (22/38) freedom from the primary endpoint. There was a significantly higher reduction in AAD usage post-ablation after GPA vs PVI (55.5% vs 36%; p=0.05). Patients were referred for redo ablations in 31% (16/52) after GPA and 24% (12/50) after PVI (p=0.53). CONCLUSIONS: GPA did not prevent atrial arrhythmias more than PVI. However, less RF ablation was delivered to achieve a higher reduction in AAD usage with GPA than PVI.