Arrhythmias & electrophysiologyCohort study

Venous thromboembolisms and stroke risk in patients with atrial fibrillation: a nationwide cohort study

EuropacePublished

  • Retrospective cohort study
  • nationwide
  • registry-linkage

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

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:10.1093/europace/euaf155

Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it