Risk factors for recurrent hospitalizations of patients with atrial fibrillation

Abstract

Objective: To determine the predictors of recurrent hospitalizations among atrial fibrillation (AF) patients. Methods: We analyzed data from the Chinese Atrial Fibrillation Registry (CAFR), a prospective cohort study involving non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) patients from Augest 2011 to December 2017. A total of 5 349 NVAF patients with a minimum of 48 months follow-up were included for analysis. Data including patient demographics, complications, medical and ablation history were collected. The maximum number of all-cause hospitalizations within one-year for each patient served as the primary endpoint. Patients hospitalized less than twice within one-year were defined as non-recurrent hospitalizations group, those hospitalized at least twice within one-year were definned as recurrent hospitalizations group. Logistic regression model was used to identify associated risk factors for recurrent hospitalizations. Results: Of 5 349 NVAF patients, those hospitalized for 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 and at least 5 times within one-year was 2 703 (50.5%), 1 776 (33.2%), 642 (12.0%), 161(3.0), 52 (1.0%), 15 (0.3%), respectively. Eight hundred and seventy (16.3%) patients were included in recurrent hospitalizations group, 4 479 (83.7%) patients were included in non-recurrent hospitalizations group. Compare with non-recurrent hospitalizations group, patients in recurrent hospitalizations group was more likely to be older and female, more frequently had a history of hypertension, heart failure, coronary heart disesase, ischaemic stroke/transient ischaemic attack, diabetes mellitus, peptic ulcer, a AF duration for more than 1 year, medication including drugs for ventricular rate control, statin, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI)/angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) and higher CHA(2)DS(2)-VASc scores (P<0.05), but less frequently had higher education, a history of drinking, smoking and ablation (P<0.05). Multivariable analysis showed that age 50-64 (OR=1.47, 95%CI 1.20-1.80), age≥65 (OR=1.89, 95%CI 1.50-2.38), female (OR=1.21, 95%CI 1.01-1.46), hypertension history (OR=1.42, 95%CI 1.16-1.74), heart failure history (OR=1.73, 95%CI 1.37-2.18), coronary heart disease history (OR=1.63, 95%CI 1.31-2.03), peptic ulcer history (OR=2.00, 95%CI 1.18-3.39) were independent risk factors for recurrent hospitalizations, while higher education (college or above) (OR=0.82, 95%CI 0.69-0.99) was the protective factor for recurrent hospitalizations. Conclusions: Nearly 1 in 6 of AF patients were admitted to hospital more than once within one year in this NVAF cohort. Age≥50, female, hypertension history, heart failure history, coronary heart disease history, peptic ulcer history are associated with an increased risk of recurrent hospitalizations.