Arrhythmias & electrophysiologyCohort study
Sex- and age-specific differences in the use of antiarrhythmic therapies among atrial fibrillation patients: a nationwide cohort study
- Retrospective cohort study
- nationwide
- registry-based linkage study
Authors' conclusion
Women used more AAD than men in all age groups but underwent fewer cardioversion and ablation procedures when aged <65 years.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with new-onset atrial fibrillation (AF) in Finland, 2007–201850% females
- Participants
- 229,565 patients
- Exposure
- Women vs men
- Outcome
- Initiation of antiarrhythmic therapies: antiarrhythmic drugs, cardioversion or catheter ablation
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Antiarrhythmic therapy use by sex and age group
Adjusted subdistribution hazard ratio (aSHR)
- antiarrhythmic drugs, all age groups
- 1.223 (95% CI 1.187–1.261)
- cardioversion, aged <65 years
- 0.722 (95% CI 0.695–0.749)
- cardioversion, aged ≥ 75 years
- 1.166 (95% CI 1.108–1.227)
- ablation, aged <65 years
- 0.908 (95% CI 0.826–0.998)
- ablation, aged ≥75 years
- 0.521 (95% CI 0.354–0.766)
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Baseline age
Original publication
Sex- and age-specific differences in the use of antiarrhythmic therapies among atrial fibrillation patients: a nationwide cohort study. Europace. Published 9 October 2024. doi:10.1093/europace/euae264
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it