Arrhythmias & electrophysiology

Temporal trends of cause-specific mortality after diagnosis of atrial fibrillation

Eur Heart JPublished Retrospective cohort study

Authors' conclusion

After AF diagnosis, cardio/cerebrovascular mortality and hospitalization has declined, whilst hospitalization for non-cardio/cerebrovascular disease has increased.

Study context

Population
Individuals aged ≥16 years with a first diagnosis of atrial fibrillation (AF), UK, 2001–2017
Participants
72,412 individuals
Exposure
2016/17 vs 2001/02
Outcome
All-cause and cause-specific mortality and hospitalization
Follow-up
1 year following diagnosis
Methodological detailspopulation-based, UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink-GOLD
  • Population-based
  • UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink-GOLD

Main finding

As reported in the abstract

1 year
2016/17 vs 2001/02Estimate (95% CI)
All-cause mortality
RR 0.72(0.65–0.80)
CV mortality
RR 0.46(0.37–0.58)
Cerebrovascular mortality
RR 0.41(0.29–0.60)
Non-cardio/cerebrovascular mortality
RR 0.91(0.80–1.04)
Overall hospitalization
IRR 1.17(1.13–1.22)
Non-cardio/cerebrovascular hospitalization
IRR 1.42(1.39–1.45)

Observational data: associations, not effects.

Further findings

Deaths in 2016/17: dementia vs acute MI, HF and acute stroke combined

Dementia deaths
67, 8.0%
Acute MI, HF and acute stroke deaths combined
56, 6.7%
Difference
P < 0.001

Event rates by patient features

Older, more deprived and hospital-diagnosed AF patients experienced higher event rates

Original publication

Temporal trends of cause-specific mortality after diagnosis of atrial fibrillation. Eur Heart J. Published 25 August 2023. doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehad571

Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →

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