Hospitalization For Atrial Fibrillation Research Articles

Long-term outcomes after hospitalization for atrial fibrillation or flutter.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) and flutter are common causes of hospitalizations but contemporary long-term outcomes following these episodes are uncertain. This study assessed outcomes up to 10 years after an acute AF or flutter hospitalization. Patients hospitalized acutely with a primary diagnosis of AF or flutter from 2008-17 from all public and most private hospitals in Australia and New Zealand were included. Kaplan-Meier methods and flexible parametric survival modelling were used to estimate survival and loss in life expectancy, respectively. Competing risk model accounting for death was used when estimating incidence of non-fatal outcomes. A total of 260 492 adults (mean age 70.5 ± 14.4 years, 49.6% female) were followed up for 1 068 009 person-years (PY), during which 69 167 died (incidence rate 6.5/100 PY) with 91.2% survival at 1 year, 72.7% at 5 years, and 55.2% at 10 years. Estimated loss in life expectancy was 2.6 years, or 16.8% of expected life expectancy. Re-hospitalizations for heart failure (2.9/100 PY), stroke (1.7/100 PY), and myocardial infarction (1.1/100 PY) were common with respective cumulative incidences of 16.8%, 11.0%, and 7.1% by 10 years. Re-hospitalization for AF or flutter occurred in 21.3% by 1 year, 35.3% by 5 years, and 41.2% by 10 years (11.6/100 PY). The cumulative incidence of patients undergoing catheter ablation of AF was 6.5% at 10 years (1.2/100 PY). Patients hospitalized for AF or flutter had high death rates with an average 2.6-year loss in life expectancy. Moreover, re-hospitalizations for AF or flutter and related outcomes such as heart failure and stroke were common with catheter ablation used infrequently for treatment, which warrant further actions.

Comparison between beta-blockers and calcium channel blockers in patients with atrial fibrillation according to renal function.

Rate control is the most commonly employed first-line management strategy for atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Principal agents used to control heart rate (HR) include beta-blockers (BB) and nondihydropyridine calcium channel blockers (ND-CCB). However, there is a paucity of published studies of the differences between those drugs in CKD patients. The present study aimed to investigate the differences, in terms of hospitalizations due to a poor HR control, in patients with AF under a rate-control strategy according to glomerular filtration rate (GFR). The study cohort included 2804 AF patients under rate-control regime (BB or ND-CCB) between January 2014 and April 2020. The end point, determined by competing risk regression, was hospitalizations for AF with rapid ventricular response (RVR), slow ventricular response (SVR), and need for pacemaker. On multivariate analysis, there were no statistical differences between ND-CCB and BB for subjects with GFR > 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 (subdistribution heart rate [sHR] 0.850, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.61-1.19; p = .442) and GFR 30-59 mL/min/1.73 m2 (sHR 1.242, 95% CI: 0.80-1.63; p = .333), while in patients with GFR < 30 mL/min/1.73 m2, ND-CCB therapy was associated with increased hospitalizations due to poor HR control (sHR 4.53, 95% CI: 1.19-17.18; p = .026). In patients with GFR ≥ 30 mL/min/1.73 m2, the choice of ND-CCB or BB had no impact on hospitalizations due to poor HR control, while in GFR < 30 mL/min/1.73 m2, a possible association was detected. The effects of these drugs on GFR < 30 mL/min/1.73 m2 would require further investigation.

Beta-Blockers after Myocardial Infarction and Preserved Ejection Fraction

BackgroundMost trials that have shown a benefit of beta-blocker treatment after myocardial infarction included patients with large myocardial infarctions and were conducted in an era before modern biomarker-based diagnosis of myocardial infarction and treatment with percutaneous coronary intervention, antithrombotic agents, high-intensity statins, and renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system antagonists.MethodsIn a parallel-group, open-label trial performed at 45 centers in Sweden, Estonia, and New Zealand, we randomly assigned patients with an acute myocardial infarction who had undergone coronary angiography and had a left ventricular ejection fraction of at least 50% to receive either long-term treatment with a beta-blocker (metoprolol or bisoprolol) or no beta-blocker treatment. The primary end point was a composite of death from any cause or new myocardial infarction.ResultsFrom September 2017 through May 2023, a total of 5020 patients were enrolled (95.4% of whom were from Sweden). The median follow-up was 3.5 years (interquartile range, 2.2 to 4.7). A primary end-point event occurred in 199 of 2508 patients (7.9%) in the beta-blocker group and in 208 of 2512 patients (8.3%) in the no–beta-blocker group (hazard ratio, 0.96; 95% confidence interval, 0.79 to 1.16; P=0.64). Beta-blocker treatment did not appear to lead to a lower cumulative incidence of the secondary end points (death from any cause, 3.9% in the beta-blocker group and 4.1% in the no–beta-blocker group; death from cardiovascular causes, 1.5% and 1.3%, respectively; myocardial infarction, 4.5% and 4.7%; hospitalization for atrial fibrillation, 1.1% and 1.4%; and hospitalization for heart failure, 0.8% and 0.9%). With regard to safety end points, hospitalization for bradycardia, second- or third-degree atrioventricular block, hypotension, syncope, or implantation of a pacemaker occurred in 3.4% of the patients in the beta-blocker group and in 3.2% of those in the no–beta-blocker group; hospitalization for asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in 0.6% and 0.6%, respectively; and hospitalization for stroke in 1.4% and 1.8%.ConclusionsAmong patients with acute myocardial infarction who underwent early coronary angiography and had a preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (≥50%), long-term beta-blocker treatment did not lead to a lower risk of the composite primary end point of death from any cause or new myocardial infarction than no beta-blocker use. (Funded by the Swedish Research Council and others; REDUCE-AMI ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT03278509.)

Does radiofrequency ablation procedural data improve the accuracy of identifying atrial fibrillation recurrence?

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) using the CARTO 3D mapping system is a common approach for pulmonary vein isolation to treat atrial fibrillation (AF). Linkage between CARTO procedural data and patients' electronical health records (EHR) provides an opportunity to identify the ablation-related parameters that would predict AF recurrence. The objective of this study is to assess the incremental accuracy of RFA procedural data to predict post-ablation AF recurrence using machine learning model. Procedural data generated during RFA procedure were downloaded from CARTONET and linked to deidentified Mercy Health EHR data. Data were divided into train (70%) and test (30%) data for model development and validation. Automate machine learning (AutoML) was used to predict 1 year AF recurrence, defined as a composite of repeat ablation, electrical cardioversion, and AF hospitalization. At first, AutoML model only included Patients' demographic and clinical characteristics. Second, an AutoML model with procedural variables and demographical/clinical variables was developed. Area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) and net reclassification improvement (NRI) were used to compare model performances using test data. Among 306 patients, 67 (21.9%) patients experienced 1-year AF recurrence. AUROC increased from 0.66 to 0.78 after adding procedural data in the AutoML model based on test data. For patients with AF recurrence, NRI was 32% for model with procedural data. Nine of 10 important predictive features were CARTO procedural data. From CARTO procedural data, patients with lower contact force in right inferior site, long ablation duration, and low number of left inferior and right roof lesions had a higher risk of AF recurrence. Patients with persistent AF were more likely to have AF recurrence. The machine learning model with procedural data better predicted 1-year AF recurrence than the model without procedural data. The model could be used for identification of patients with high risk of AF recurrence post ablation.

Insights from a single centre implementation of a digitally-enabled atrial fibrillation virtual ward.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most prevalent cardiac arrhythmia and poses a significant public health burden. Virtual wards are a novel approach utilising digital solutions to provide hospital-level care remotely; their rollout has become a key priority for the UK National Health Service to expand acute care capacity. We devised and implemented a digitally-enabled AF virtual ward to monitor patients being established onto medical therapy following an AF diagnosis or an AF-related hospitalisation. Patients were onboarded either as outpatients to avoid admission or on discharge after an acute AF hospitalisation. Remote monitoring was undertaken using a clinically validated photoplethysmography-based smartphone app. Over a 1-2 week period, patients performed twice daily measurements of heart rate and rhythm and provided corresponding symptoms. A traffic light system guided frequency of telephone assessments by specialist practitioners. Red flag symptoms or abnormal heart rate parameters prompted an urgent care escalation. We report our experience of the first 73 patients onboarded to the AF virtual ward from October 2022 to June 2023 (mean age 65 years, median 68 years, IQR range 27-101 years; 33 females). Thirty-nine (53%) patients had red flag features requiring care escalation, of whom 9 (23%) were advised to attend ED (emergency department) for urgent assessment, 10 (26%) attended for expedited review and 14 (36%) required medication changes. By 3 months post-monitoring, only 3 patients (4%) had re-attended ED with an arrhythmia-related presentation. Virtual ward patients had an average 3-day shorter inpatient stay (mean duration 4 days) compared with AF patients hospitalised prior to virtual ward implementation (mean duration 7 days). Overall, 22 arrhythmia-related readmissions were prevented via the virtual ward model. In this study, we present a novel implementation of a digitally-enabled virtual ward for the acute management of patients with newly diagnosed or poorly controlled AF. Our pilot data indicate that this model is feasible and is potentially cost-effective. Further longitudinal study is needed to definitively evaluate long-term clinical utility and safety.

Abstract P419: Urinary Na:K Excretion and the Risk of Cardiovascular Events in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease

Introduction: The risk of death from cardiovascular disease (CVD) is three times higher in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Urine sodium and potassium excretion are altered in CKD and have been identified as CVD risk factors in other populations; therefore, they may represent therapeutic targets in persons with CKD. We aimed to examine the association between the ratio of urine Na-to-K (Na:K) with incident atrial fibrillation (AF), heart failure (HF), and myocardial infarction (MI) in patients with CKD. Methods: 2341 adults with CKD enrolled in the Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort free of CVD at study entry. Spot urinary Na:K ratio was measured from 24-hour collections and divided into quartiles. Outcomes included physician-adjudicated hospitalizations for AF, MI and HF (overall, preserved [HFpEF] and reduced ejection fraction [HFrEF]). Incidence rates (with 95% CI) were calculated per 1000 person-years. We performed Cox regression in a series of nested models, adjusting for demographics, habits, baseline comorbidities, kidney function and concurrent medications. Results: 586 participants were in the highest quartile of urinary Na:K excretion (mean age 54.3 (SD 11.7); 46% women (271 out of 586). Mean eGFR was lower in this group [49.5 (SD 19.4)] and 24-hour urine protein was higher [0.27 (IQR 0.08-1.19)] compared to lower quartiles. Rates of incident HF [18 (95% CI 7.5-12.5)] and MI [10 (95% CI 7.5-12.5)] were higher in persons with higher urine Na:K ratio (Fig 1). In adjusted models, the highest quartile (compared with the lowest quartile) of urine Na:K ratio was associated with AF (1.57, 95% CI 1.08-2.3) and HF (1.43, 95% CI 1.15-4.12). In sensitivity analyses, elevated urine Na:K was significantly associated with HFrEF (2.18, 95% CI in 1.15-4.12), but not HFpEF. Conclusions: Urinary Na:K excretion was associated with an increased incidence of atrial fibrillation and heart failure in persons with CKD free of CVD. Sodium and potassium represent possible modifiable risk factors for CVD prevention in patients with CKD.

Heart Rate at Rest and Incident Atrial Fibrillation in Patients With Diastolic Dysfunction

Diastolic dysfunction (DD) is associated with incident atrial fibrillation (AF). The influence of resting heart rate (RHR) on incident AF in patients with DD has not been investigated. The goal of this study is to assess the influence of RHR on incident AF in patients with DD. Patients from a large health system with no prior history of AF, a left ventricular ejection fraction ≥50% and documented DD on echocardiography were divided into quartiles (<66, 66-76, 77-91, >91 bpm) based on RHR. Incident AF was estimated using AF hospitalization during follow-up. Hazard ratios (HR) for AF hospitalization and all-cause death were calculated with a Cox proportional hazards model. A total of 19,046 patients were analyzed. Over a median follow-up of 42.2 months, 742 (3.9%) patients were hospitalized for AF. Both slower and faster RHR were associated with increased risk of AF hospitalization (HR 1.40, CI: 1.14-1.71, p = 0.001, HR 1.23, CI: 0.99-1.53, p = 0.06 and HR 1.72, CI: 1.38-2.14, p<0.001, for quartiles 1, 2, and 4, respectively), suggesting a J-shaped relationship. Progressive increase in all-cause death was noted with faster RHR (HR1.19 per quartile increase, CI: 1.16-1.22, p<0.001). These results persisted after adjustment for age, cardiovascular comorbidities, grade of DD and beta blocker use. In conclusion, this large, real-world analysis indicates increased risk of incident AF with slower and faster RHR in patients with DD. Randomized trials are needed to evaluate the potential of RHR modification to mitigate the risk of incident AF.

Association of global longitudinal strain by feature tracking cardiac magnetic resonance imaging with adverse outcomes among community-dwelling adults without cardiovascular disease: The Dallas Heart Study.

Left ventricular (LV) global longitudinal strain (GLS) may detect subtle abnormalities in myocardial contractility among individuals with normal LV ejection fraction (LVEF). However, the prognostic implications of GLS among healthy, community-dwelling adults is not well-established. Overall, 2234 community-dwelling adults (56% women, 47% Black) with LVEF ≥50% without a history of cardiovascular disease (CVD) from the Dallas Heart Study who underwent cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) with GLS assessed by feature tracking CMR (FT-CMR) were included. The association of GLS with the risk of incident major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE; composite of incident myocardial infarction, incident heart failure [HF], hospitalization for atrial fibrillation, coronary revascularization, and all-cause death), and incident HF or death were assessed with adjusted Cox proportional hazards models. A total of 309 participants (13.8%) had MACE during a median follow-up duration of 17 years. Participants with the worst GLS (Q4) were more likely male and of the Black race with a history of tobacco use and diabetes with lower LVEF, higher LV end-diastolic volume, and higher LV mass index. Cumulative incidence of MACE was higher among participants with worse (Q4 vs. Q1) GLS (20.4% vs. 9.0%). In multivariable-adjusted Cox models that included clinical characteristics, cardiac biomarkers and baseline LVEF, worse GLS (Q4 vs. Q1) was associated with a significantly higher risk of MACE (hazard ratio [HR] 1.55, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.07-2.24, p = 0.02) and incident HF or death (HR 1.57, 95% CI 1.03-2.38, p = 0.04). Impaired LV GLS assessed by FT-CMR among adults free of cardiovascular disease is associated with a higher risk of incident MACE and incident HF or death independent of cardiovascular risk factors, cardiac biomarkers and LVEF.

Association between neighborhood household income and inpatient atrial fibrillation outcomes

BackgroundThe impact of socioeconomic status on the clinical outcomes of patients admitted to the hospital for atrial fibrillation (AF) is not well described. ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to determine the association between median neighborhood household income (mNHI) and clinical outcomes among patients admitted to the hospital for AF. MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed primary AF hospitalizations from the United States National Inpatient Sample between 2016 and 2020. The analyzed sample was divided into quartiles based on the mNHI in the zip code of the patient’s residence. The lowest quartile was used as the reference category. Study outcomes included inpatient procedure utilization (ablation, cardioversion, percutaneous left atrial appendage closure), length of stay, cost, mortality, and disposition. Weighted multivariable logistic and linear regression, adjusting for multiple patient and hospital-level characteristics, was performed. ResultsPatients in the highest mNHI quartile had lower comorbidity burden, lower in-hospital mortality (odds ratio [OR] 0.78; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.7–0.87; P <.001), lower discharges to care facility (OR 0.86; 95% CI 0.83–0.9; P <.001), shorter length of stay (adjusted mean difference –0.26; 95% CI –0.30 to –0.22; P <.001), higher procedure utilization, and higher health care costs ($12,124 vs $10,018) compared to the lowest mNHI quartile patients. ConclusionWe identified significantly higher in-hospital mortality and lower procedural/resource utilization in patients living in lower-income neighborhoods compared to higher-income neighborhoods. Further research is needed to better understand the drivers of these disparities and the strategies to improve health care disparities between socioeconomic groups.

Long-Term Pattern and Associated Costs of Re-hospitalisations in Patients After Index Atrial Fibrillation Admission in Western Australia, 2011–2017

This study aimed to determine total and cardiovascular-specific re-hospitalisation patterns and associated costs within 2 years of index atrial fibrillation (AF) admission in Western Australia (WA). Patients aged 25-94 years, surviving an index (first-in-period) AF hospitalisation (principal diagnosis) from 2011 to 2015 were identified from WA-linked administrative data and followed for 2 years. Person-level hospitalisation costs ($ Australian dollar) were computed using the Australian Refined Diagnosis Related Groups and presented as median with first and third quartile costs. The cohort comprised 17,080 patients, 59.0% men, mean age 69.6±13.3 (standard deviation) years, and 59.0% had a CHA2DS2-VA (one point for congestive heart failure, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, vascular disease or age 65-74 years; two points for prior stroke/transient ischaemic attack or age≥75 years) score of 2 or more. Within 2 years, 13,776 patients (80.6%) were readmitted with median of 2 (1-4) readmissions. Among total all-cause readmissions (n=54,240), 40.1% were emergent and 36.6% were cardiovascular-related, led by AF (19.5%), coronary events (5.8%), and heart failure (4.2%). The median index AF admission cost was $3,264 ($2,899-$7,649) while cardiovascular readmission costs were higher, particularly stroke ($10,732 [$4,179-23,390]), AF ablation ($7,884 [$5,283-$8,878]), and heart failure ($6,759 [$6,081-$13,146]). Average readmission costs over 2 years perperson increased by $4,746 (95% confidence interval [CI] $4,459-$5,033) per unit increase in baseline CHA2DS2-VA score. The average 2-year hospitalisation costs per patient, including index admission, was $27,820 (95% CI $27,308-$28,333) and total WA costs were $475.2 million between 2011 and2017. Patients after index AF hospitalisation have a high risk of cardiovascular and other readmissions with considerable healthcare cost implications. Readmission costs increased progressively with baseline CHA2DS2-VA score. Better integrated management of AF and coexistent comorbidities is likely key to reducing readmissions and associated costs.

Prevalence of atrial fibrillation in patients with atrial septal defect and its impact on in-hospital outcomes

Abstract Background Atrial septal defect (ASD) is one of the most common congenital heart diseases in adulthood. ASDs have left-to-right shunt and primarily right-sided volume overload. This leads to electrical remodeling that may predispose patients to atrial fibrillation (AF). There is limited data on the impact of AF on clinical outcomes in patients with ASD. Purpose To study the prevalence of AF and its impact on in-hospital outcomes in adult patients with ASD. Methods This is a retrospective cohort analysis of all ASD related hospitalizations between January 1, 2016, and December 31, 2020, from the National Inpatient Sample, the largest publicly available all-payer inpatient care database in the United States. Our study population included adult patients (≥ 18 years) with ASD using ICD-10 diagnostic codes. Patients with a diagnosis of acquired ASD were excluded. ASD patients were divided into two groups: with and without AF. We used Chi square test for categorical variables and t-test for continuous variables to compare group differences between ASD with AF and ASD without AF. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were used to analyze the clinical outcomes between the two groups. Results From 2016 to 2020, we identified 82,574 hospitalizations with primary diagnosis of ASD, of which 23,907 (29%) had coexisting AF. The mean age was 71 years. Among them, 48% were female. Racial distributions were: 81% Whites, 8.8% Blacks, 5.9% Hispanics and 2.1% Asians. Compared to ASD without AF, ASD with AF hospitalizations were older in age (mean age: 71 vs 59, p&amp;lt;0.001), had higher prevalence of chronic heart failure (56% vs 25%, p&amp;lt;0.001), hypertension (71% vs 61%, p&amp;lt;0.001), obstructive sleep apnea (16% vs 9%, p&amp;lt;0.001), and higher Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) of ≥3 (52% vs 46%, p&amp;lt;0.001). ASD patients with AF had higher in-hospital mortality (aOR: 1.25, 95% CI: 1.14, 1.37, p&amp;lt;0.001), longer length of stay (beta coefficient: 0.15, 95% CI 0.13, 0.17, p&amp;lt;0.001), higher odds of acute heart failure (aOR:3, 95% CI: 2.86, 3.15, p&amp;lt;0.001), cardiogenic shock (aOR: 2.68, 95% CI: 2.42, 2.97, p&amp;lt;0.001), acute kidney injury (aOR:1.4, 95% CI: 1.35, 1.46, p&amp;lt;0.001) and requirement of permanent pacemaker (PPM) (aOR: 2.51, 95% CI: 2.16, 2.92, p&amp;lt;0.001) compared to ASD without AF after controlling for age, race, CCI, obesity, COPD and pulmonary hypertension. Conclusions Our study showed that a significant percentage of hospitalized patients with ASD had concomitant AF. AF can contribute to higher in-hospital mortality and worse clinical outcomes in patients with ASD. This highlights the importance of optimal management of AF in patients with ASD.

The prognostic association of atrial fibrillation on heart failure hospitalizations after acute myocardial infarction

Abstract Aims The association of atrial fibrillation (AF) with heart failure (HF) specific hospitalizations after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is unclear. We aim to study the association of AF and 6-month HF hospitalization after an AMI in a large American cohort. Methods and Results Adult survivors of a AMI hospitalization without cardiogenic shock were identified from the 2019 US Nationwide Readmissions Database. The unadjusted association of AF (pre-existing and denovo) with baseline characteristics and primary outcome of rate of 6-month HF admission, and secondary outcomes of fatal HF admission, composite of HF peri-AMI or a 6-month HF admission, and a composite of 6-month HF or death during a non−HF-related admission was evaluated using chi square tests or t-tests, and independent associations of AF on outcomes were evaluated using multivariable logistic regression. Cox proportional hazards models were used to identify the association of AF on cumulative incidence risk on HF readmission. Of 262,390 AMI survivors, AF was present in 18.0%. By 6-months, HF hospitalization occurred in 5.4% of all patients. AF was associated with a higher adjusted risk for 6-month HF admission (OR 1.42, 95% CI: 1.34-1.50). In the adjusted time-to-event analysis, AF was associated with a higher risk for 6-month HF readmission (HR 1.39, 95% CI 1.31-1.46, P&amp;lt;0.001). AF was associated with a higher risk for fatal HF and the composite outcomes. Conclusions AF was present in 1 in 6 AMI survivors without cardiogenic shock and AF was associated with a higher risk of HF hospitalization in the subsequent 6-month period.Cumulative Incidence CurvesOutcomes Table

Is frailty associated with greater symptom burden following catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation?

Abstract Background Previous, small studies have found that the effectiveness of catheter ablation among patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) is affected by frailty. However, whether the symptom burden after catheter ablation varies according to frailty remains uncertain. Purpose We aimed to assess whether severity of patient frailty modified the recurrence of AF in the year after first-time catheter ablation for AF including proportion of hospital admissions with AF. Methods We identified patients with a first-time catheter ablation for AF (Jan. 1st 2010-Dec. 31st 2018) from the Danish National Ablation Registry, and eligible for one year of follow-up. Patient comorbidities and concomitant pharmacotherapy were identified using Danish nationwide registries. The patients’ Hospital Frailty Risk Score was calculated using diagnosis codes, and patients were grouped according to cut points of low (&amp;lt;5), intermediate (5-10), and high-risk (&amp;gt;10) frailty. Multivariable Cox proportional-hazards analyses were performed for comparison of associated factors for the risk of recurrence of AF during one year of follow-up after a 3-month blanking period. McNemars test was used for comparison of AF hospital admission rates before and after catheter ablation. Results Among 3,638 patients treated with first-time catheter ablation for AF (median age 62.4 years [Q1,Q3=55.1,68.5 years], 72.8% male), 89.0% had low-risk frailty, 9.4% had intermediate-risk frailty and 1.6% had high-risk frailty. At one year follow-up, 546 (15.0%) patients had recurrence of AF (hospital admission with AF or treatment with electrical cardioversion). Both intermediate-risk frailty patients (HR 1.56, CI: 1.22-2.00, p&amp;lt;0.001) and high-risk frailty patients (HR 2.13, CI: 1.30-3.49, p=0.003) had a significantly increased risk of recurrence of AF during one year of follow-up compared with patients with a low-risk frailty score. All patients across frailty groups had a 5-fold decrease in AF hospital admissions in the year after catheter ablation (15%) compared with the year before (68%) (p&amp;lt;0.001). Patients with high-risk frailty had a more than 3-fold reduction of AF hospital admissions in the year after catheter ablation (28%) compared with the year before (88%) (p&amp;lt;0.001) (Figure 1). During one year follow-up, 35 patients (1.0%) died. Conclusion Patients with high-risk frailty had a 3-fold decrease while all patients across frailty groups had a 5-fold decrease in AF hospital admissions in the year after catheter ablation compared with the year before. Thus, indicating a lower symptom burden after catheter ablation. Nevertheless, intermediate-risk and high-risk frailty was associated with significantly higher recurrence rates of AF one year after first-time catheter ablation for AF compared with low-risk frailty patients. Patient frailty should be considered when selecting patients eligible for ablation in order to improve patient outcomes.

Effect of early cryoballoon ablation on atrial fibrillation recurrence - a nationwide register study

Abstract Introduction Cryoballoon ablation seems a viable first-line therapy in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients and outperforms antiarrhythmic drugs (AAD) regarding sinus rhythm maintenance. Despite this, guidelines in general recommend AAD use before ablation for AF, delaying a potential ablation. Therefore, data regarding the impact of the timing of cryoballoon ablation on AF recurrence in large, unselected cohorts is highly warranted. Purpose To examine AF recurrence after AF cryoballoon ablation by time from AF diagnosis to AF ablation. Methods From nationwide registers, we included all AF patients above 18 years who underwent first-time cryoballoon ablation from January 2010 to December 2018. The AF patients were stratified by ablation timing: Early ablation (&amp;lt; 1 year after AF diagnosis) and late ablation (≥1 year after AF diagnosis). The primary endpoint was recurrent AF, defined as a composite endpoint of AF hospitalization, claimed prescriptions of AAD, re-ablation or electrical cardioversions. The cumulative incidence of recurrent AF at 5-year follow-up after a blanking period of 90 days was estimated using the Aalen-Johansen estimator, taking the competing risk of death into account. The relative rates of recurrent AF were examined using cox models adjusted for sex, age, procedure-year, left atrial size, body mass index, AF-type (paroxysmal or persistent), hypertension, heart failure, ischemic heart disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Results The study cohort consisted of 677 patients, 204 in the early ablation group and 473 in the late ablation group. Median age increased from 59 in the early ablation group to 65 in the late ablation group. In the early ablation group 71% had paroxysmal AF compared to 66% in the late ablation group. Use of amiodarone and Class 1C antiarrhythmic medication were higher in the late ablation group. The 5-year cumulative incidence of recurrent AF was 41% and 51% in the early and late ablation groups. The Hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) were 1.44 and (CI 1.10-1.89) in the late ablation group compared to the early ablation group (Figure 1). For paroxysmal AF the 5-year cumulative incidence of recurrent AF was 41% and 49% in the early and late ablation groups with a HR of 1.32 (CI 0.95-1.84) in the late ablation group compared to the early ablation group. For persistent AF the 5-year cumulative incidence of recurrent AF was 39% and 59% in the early and late ablation groups with a HR of 1.74 (CI 1.05-2.87) in the late ablation group compared to the early ablation group (Figure 2). Conclusion In this nationwide register study examining recurrent AF after cryoballoon ablation, we found lower recurrence rates when early ablation was performed. Based on this, early cryoballoon ablation could potentially provide considerable benefits and improve outcomes after ablation, indicating that cryoballoon ablation as first-line therapy might be ideal.Figure 1Figure 2

Ablation versus medical therapy for patients with atrial fibrillation: An updated meta-analysis.

To investigate the effect of ablation compared to medical therapy on clinical outcomes of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and Web of Science databases were searched using ablation, medical treatment, AF, and related words. The effect of ablation and medical therapy was sought to be gathered on stroke or transitional ischemic attack, mortality, hospitalization, recurrence of AF, progression of AF, and left ventricular ejection fraction. Analyses were performed using R software. 31 studies (the results of 27 randomized controlled trials), compromising an overall 6965 patients (Ablation, n = 3643; Medical treatment, n = 3322) were reviewed in our study, revealed that catheter ablation would result in substantial benefits for patients with AF without significant difference in serious adverse events compared to medical management (Risk Ratio: 0.92, [95% Confidence Interval (CI), 0.64-1.33]). Catheter ablation in patients with AF significantly resulted in a 29% reduction in all-cause mortality (RR: 0.71, [95% CI, 0.57-0.88]), a 57% reduction in hospitalization (RR: 0.43, [95% CI, 0.27-0.67]), a 53% reduction in AF recurrence (RR: 0.47, [95% CI, 0.36-0.61]), and a dramatic reduction, 89%, in progression of paroxysmal to persistent AF (RR: 0.11, [95% CI, 0.02-0.65]); also associated with a remarkable improvement in their left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (Mean Difference, MD: 6.84%, [95% CI, 3.27-10.42]) compared to medical therapy. Our study showed that ablation may be superior to medical therapy in patients with AF regarding AF recurrence, mortality, LVEF improvement, hospitalization, and AF progression outcomes.

Abstract 12840: Left Atrial Enlargement is a Useful Predictor for Incident Heart Failure in Atrial Fibrillation Patients Without Pre-Existing Heart Failure

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) increases the risk of heart failure (HF). However, little focus has been placed on the risk stratification for HF in AF patients. Hypothesis: Left atrial diameter (LAD) is a simple prognostic parameter in patients with HF. We hypothesized that LAD is a useful predictor for incident HF in AF patients even without pre-existing HF. Methods: The Fushimi AF Registry is a community-based prospective survey of AF patients in Fushimi-ku, Japan. After excluding patients with pre-existing HF (defined as having one of the following; prior HF hospitalization, New York Heart Association class ≥2, or left ventricular ejection fraction &lt;40%), we investigated 2,464 patients with the data of LAD at enrollment. We divided the patients into 4 groups stratified by LAD (&lt;40 mm, 40-44 mm, 45-49 mm, and ≥50 mm), and compared the backgrounds and incidence of HF hospitalization between the groups. Results: Of 2,464 patients (mean age: 72±11 years, female: 919 [37%], paroxysmal AF: 1,405 [57%], and mean CHA2DS2-VASc score: 3.0±1.6), the mean LAD was 42±8 mm (&lt;40 mm: 1007 [41%], 40-44 mm: 650 [26%], 45-49 mm: 467 [19%] and ≥50 mm: 340 [14%], respectively). Patients with larger LAD had a higher prevalence of elderly and non-paroxysmal AF, and had a higher CHA2DS2-VASc score (all P&lt;0.001). During the median follow-up of 6.0 years, 260 patients (11%) were hospitalized for HF (annual incidence: 1.8% per person-year). Kaplan-Meier curves revealed that LAD was able to stratify the incidence of HF hospitalization in AF patients without HF (Figure). Multivariable Cox regression analysis demonstrated that larger LAD were independently associated with the risk of HF after adjustment by age, sex, AF type, and CHA2DS2-VASc score (Figure). Conclusion: Larger LAD was significantly associated with the higher incidence of HF hospitalization in AF without pre-existing HF, suggesting the utility of LAD regarding the risk stratification for HF in these patients.

Abstract 16097: Association of Neighborhood Income and Outcomes in Atrial Fibrillation: A Nationwide Retrospective Cohort Analysis

Introduction: The impact of socioeconomic status on atrial fibrillation (AF) outcomes is not well understood. We studied the association between household income and clinical outcomes in AF hospitalizations. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of adult primary AF hospitalizations from the United States National Inpatient Sample (NIS) between 2016 and 2020. Quartile classification of the median household income of the zip code of the patient’s residence provided by NIS was used. Among the four income quartiles, lowest quartile was used as reference category. Weighted multivariable logistic and linear regression, adjusting for multiple patient and hospital-level characteristics (Table 1), were performed. We aimed to study patient characteristics and clinical outcomes in AF based on household income. Results: From lowest to highest income quartile, mean age and proportion of White race increased; proportion of females, Black, and Hispanic race decreased (Table 1). Compared with lowest income residents, highest income residents had lower in-hospital mortality (Odds ratio [OR] 0.78, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.7, 0.87, P &lt; 0.001), lower disposition to care facility (OR 0.86, 95% CI 0.83-0.9, p &lt; 0.001), lower length of stay (adjusted mean difference -0.26, 95% CI -0.30, -0.22, P &lt; 0.001), higher procedure utilization including catheter and surgical ablation, atrial appendage closure, electrical cardioversion, and higher healthcare costs ($12,124 vs 10,018)(Table 1). Conclusions: We identified significantly higher adverse events and lower procedural/resource utilization in the lower-income residents compared to higher-income residents. Further research is needed to better understand these disparities, their impact on clinical outcomes, and strategies to improve healthcare disparities between SE groups.

Abstract 12441: Ambient Fine Particulate Matter Air Pollution but Not Ozone is Associated With Elevated Risk of All-Cause Hospitalization in Patients With a Prior Diagnosis of Atrial Fibrillation

Introduction: Short-term increases (days to weeks) in fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) air pollution are associated with atrial fibrillation (AF) episodes. We previously reported that PM 2.5 was not associated with severe AF measured as emergency or inpatient hospitalization for the primary diagnosis of AF. Mild AF, though, may influence all-cause hospitalizations. This study evaluated if short-term increases in PM 2.5 and ozone were associated with all-cause hospitalization at 11 Intermountain Health hospitals in patients with AF, and if this differed between wildfire (June-Oct.) and winter inversion (Nov.-March) seasons. Methods: Patients carrying an AF diagnosis (N=347,157) were evaluated for all-cause hospitalization and, secondarily, AF hospitalization (N=25,601) and first AF diagnosis (N=77,893). PM 2.5 levels were measured from January 1, 1999 to March 31, 2022 (ozone: 2006-2022) in subjects residing on Utah’s Wasatch Front. Using the case-crossover design that matched individual-level characteristics, Poisson regression also adjusted for weather variables. Results: Mean age was 72±15 years and 51.0% were female. Overall, PM 2.5 increases at a lag of 0 days, 1 day, 3-day moving average (mAvg) (days 0-2), and 7-day mAvg (days 0-6) were associated with all-cause hospitalization [respectively: odds ratio (OR)=1.010, 1.008, 1.011, 1.009 per +10 μg/m 3 ; p=0.0004, 0.006, 0.0004, 0.028]. Associations differed by seasons (Figure). Regressions entering both ozone and PM 2.5 mildly increased PM 2.5 ORs for all-cause hospitalization. PM 2.5 was not associated with first AF diagnosis. Increases in ozone were not associated with higher risk of any outcome. Conclusions: Short-term increases in PM 2.5 air pollution were associated with all-cause hospitalization in patients with a prior AF diagnosis. Lag structure varied for wildfire and inversion seasons, with greater effect sizes in wildfire season. Increases in ozone did not associate with elevated risk.

Abstract 12823: As Anticoagulation Use Increases, Embolic Events Downtrend in Atrial Fibrillation Hospitalizations

Background: Direct oral anticoagulants and Left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) were approved for use in 2010 and 2015, respectively. Data on temporal changes in stroke prevention strategies and rates of embolic complications in atrial fibrillation (AF) in the 2010s decade are limited. Aims: Describe trends in long-term anticoagulation (AC), LAAC use, and in-hospital AF associated ischemic stroke (IS), transient ischemic attacks (TIA), and systemic embolic events (SEE) between 2010 and 2019. Methods: The national inpatient database was used to identify patients with AF from 2010 to 2019. Data were divided into 2 eras: 2010-2014 and 2015-2019. Results: A total of 40,787,136 inpatients with AF were identified: prevalence increased from 18,594,372 in 2010 to 2014 (46%; mean [SD] age 75.5 [12.0] years; 50.3% male) to 22,192,764 in 2015 to 2019 (54%; mean [SD] age 75.1 [11.8] years; 52.5% male). There was a marked increase in long-term AC use (27.2% to 40.2%; P=0.001) and rates of percutaneous LAAC procedures (0.01% to 0.6%; P &lt;0.001) from 2015 to 2019. IS rates among patients with AF increased from 2010 to 2014 (3.5% to 3.8%; P=0.04), with no significant temporal change from 2015 to 2019 (P=0.84). TIA rates declined from 2010 to 2014 (1.2% to 1.0%; P=0.017) and continued a downtrend from 2015 to 2019 (0.9% to 0.7%; P=0.002). There was no temporal change in SEE or the composite outcome of all embolic events from 2010 to 2014, followed by a decline from 2015 to 2019 in SEE (0.5% to 0.4%; P 0.012) and all embolic events (5.1% to 4.8%; P 0.026) ( Figure 1 ). Mean rates of major bleeding events increased from 5.7% in 2010-2014 to 9.1% in 2015-2019 (P &lt;0.001). Conclusion: In an inpatient AF population, the composite outcome of all embolic events and specifically SEE downtrend from 2015 to 2019, likely due to increased AC use. Further data assessing the risk-benefit ratio of available therapies for stroke prevention in inpatients with AF - AC and LAAC - are needed to optimize personalized strategies.

Abstract 17940: Effects of Continuous Accelerated Pacing on Clinical Outcomes in Patients With Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction: Three Year Follow Up of the myPACE Randomized Clinical Trial

Background: Heart failure with a preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is prevalent and has few evidence-based therapies. In a trial of HFpEF patients with specialized pacemakers, an accelerated personalized pacing rate averaging 75 bpm (myPACE) improved quality of life, NT-proBNP, physical activity, and atrial fibrillation burden compared with the standard lower rate setting of 60bpm (usual care). The one-year myPACE trial was not powered for clinical outcomes, but most patients elected to remain on their assigned treatment. Methods: The myPACE study was a single-center, blinded, randomized controlled trial that enrolled patients from June 2019 to November 2020. In this per-protocol analysis of clinical events over a 3-year follow-up, we included trial participants who remained on their assigned heart rate after study completion. The outcome of this analysis is a composite of the first clinical event (urgent visit or hospitalization for heart failure or atrial fibrillation, unstable angina or myocardial infarction, stroke, and death). Events were obtained by chart review and adjudicated by two blinded investigators. A Kaplan-Meier event-free survival plot and a log-rank test evaluated differences between the two treatment arms. Results: Of the 100 myPACE trial participants, most (40/48 myPACE and 48/52 usual care) remained on their assigned heart rate over a median (IQR) of 3.3 (2.6, 3.7) years after enrollment. The median (IQR) age was 75(69-80), and 45% were female. Accelerated personalized pacing was associated with reduced adverse clinical outcomes by about 60 percent. The Kaplan-Meier event-free survival plot for the composite of clinical events is shown in the Figure. Conclusions: In a per-protocol clinical event analysis of the extended myPACE study, those who continued the myPACE accelerated pacing protocol had fewer adverse clinical events than those with a lower rate setting of 60 bpm.