Arrhythmias & electrophysiology
Venous thromboembolisms and stroke risk in patients with atrial fibrillation: a nationwide cohort study
Authors' conclusion
A history of VTEs was not associated with an increased risk of IS
Study context
- Population
- Patients in Finland with incident atrial fibrillation (AF), 2007–2018 (Finnish AntiCoagulation in Atrial Fibrillation (FinACAF) registry)4.6% with prior VTE
- Participants
- 271,500 patients
- Exposure
- History of VTE vs no history of VTE
- Outcome
- Ischaemic stroke rate
Methodological detailsnationwide, registry-linkage
- Nationwide
- Registry-linkage
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Ischaemic stroke
Each group vs no VTEAdjusted incidence rate ratio (95% CI)
VTEany VTE
1.05(0.98–1.13)
PEhistory of PE (1.9%)
1.01(0.91–1.13)
DVThistory of DVT (3.1%)
1.09(1.00–1.18)
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Temporal change in associations
- No temporal change in these associations during the study period
Original publication
Venous thromboembolisms and stroke risk in patients with atrial fibrillation: a nationwide cohort study. Europace. Published 29 July 2025. doi:10.
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it