Clinical Impact of Asymptomatic Presentation Status in Patients With Paroxysmal and Sustained Atrial Fibrillation: The Fushimi AF Registry

Abstract

The clinical characteristics and outcomes of asymptomatic patients with paroxysmal or persistent/permanent atrial fibrillation (AF) are largely unknown. The Fushimi AF Registry is a community-based prospective survey of patients with AF who visited the participating medical institutions in Fushimi-ku, Japan. We investigated the clinical characteristics and outcomes of asymptomatic vs symptomatic patients in the paroxysmal AF (PAF; n = 1,837) and persistent/permanent (sustained atrial fibrillation [SAF]; n= 1,912) subgroups. In the PAF group, asymptomatic patients were older (asymptomatic vssymptomatic group, 74.1 vs71.1 years of age; P< .01), more often male (62.1%vs55.6%; P< .01), and had a higher CHA2DS2-VASc (congestive heart failure, hypertension, age≥ 75 years, diabetes mellitus, history of stroke, vascular disease, age 65-74 years, and female sex) score (mean, 3.37 ± 1.73 vs2.99 ± 1.63; P< .01), whereas the prevalence of major co-morbidities and CHA2DS2-VASc scores were comparable in the SAF group. Multivariable analysis indicated that age (≥ 75 years), history of stroke/systemic embolism, male sex, and chronic kidney disease were independent determinants of asymptomatic status in the PAF group, whereas age was nonsignificant in the SAF group. During the follow-up period, all-cause mortality was significantly higher (hazard ratio, 1.71 [95%CI, 1.31-2.29]; P< .01) in asymptomatic patients compared with symptomatic patients in the PAF group, whereas it was comparable in the SAF group. Asymptomatic clinical status is associated with older age, male sex, more co-morbidities with a higher stroke risk profile, and a higher incidence of all-cause death in patients with PAF; these characteristics and outcomes were not seen in the SAF group. UMIN Clinical Trials Registry; No.: UMIN000005834; URL: www.umin.ac.jp/ctr/index.htm.