Arrhythmias & electrophysiology

Amiodarone and pulmonary toxicity in atrial fibrillation: a nationwide Israeli study

Eur Heart JPublished Retrospective cohort study

Main finding · Any ILDResult — go to the resultHazard ratio 1.45 95% CI 0.97–2.44

Authors' conclusion

In a contemporary AF population, low-dose amiodarone was associated with a trend towards increased risk of ILD (15%-45%) but a clinically negligible change in absolute risk (maximum of 1.8%), no increased risk of PLC, and a lower risk of all-cause mortality.

Study context

Population
Patients with incident atrial fibrillation (AF), without prior interstitial lung disease (ILD) or primary lung cancer, Israel, 1999–2021matched pairs
Exposure
Amiodarone vs no amiodarone
  • Amiodaronen = 6,039
Outcome
Incidence of any interstitial lung disease (ILD)
Methodological detailsnationwide population-based, matched 1:1, inverse probability treatment weighting (IPTW)
  • Nationwide population-based
  • Matched 1:1
  • IPTW

Main finding

Any ILD · mean follow-up 4.2 years

Hazard ratio

1.45

95% CI 0.97–2.44

P = 0.09

Amiodaronevs Controls
HR 1.45 (95% CI 0.97–2.44); P = 0.09

As reported in the abstract

ILD occurred overall
242 (2.0%)
Trivial higher relative risk of ILD with amiodarone between Years 2 and 8 (maximal RR)
1.019

Observational data: associations, not effects.

Secondary outcomes

OutcomeHR (95% CI)P value
All-cause deathAfter IPTW0.65 (0.60–0.72)P < 0.001
Primary lung cancerAfter IPTW1.18 (0.76–2.08)P = 0.53
All-cause death — Death occurred overall
2185 (18.1%)
Primary lung cancer — primary lung cancer (PLC) occurred overall
97 (0.8%)

Sensitivity analyses

Results consistent across a variety of sensitivity analyses

Original publication

Amiodarone and pulmonary toxicity in atrial fibrillation: a nationwide Israeli study. Eur Heart J. Published 6 November 2023. doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehad726

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