Table 1. Basic characteristics of all included studies.
| Year | Author | Country (ies) | Type of study | Sample size | Female ratio (%) | Follow-up time (yrs) | Treatment | Endpoint event |
| 2011 | Poli, et al.[9] | Italy | Prospective cohort study | 662 | 36.1 | 3.6 | Anticoagulation | TE |
| 2010 | Lip, et al.[4] | Europe | Observational | 1,084 | 40.8 | 1.0 | Non-anticoagulation | TE |
| 2010 | Lip, et al.[10] | Global | Trial cohort study | 7,329 | NA | 1.0 | Anticoagulation | TE |
| 2011 | Olesen, et al.[11],* | Denmark | Cohort study | 121,280 | 46.1 | 1.0 | Non-anticoagulation | TE |
| 2011 | Olesen, et al.[11],# | Denmark | Cohort study | 112,183 | NA | 5.0 | Non-anticoagulation | TE |
| 2011 | Olesen, et al.[11],† | Denmark | Cohort study | 98,217 | NA | 10.0 | Non-anticoagulation | TE |
| 2011 | Lin, et al.[12] | Taiwan, China | Observational | 7,920 | 45.9 | 4.5 | Non-anticoagulation | Stroke |
| 2011 | Sandhu, et al.[13],§ | Canada | Observational | 4,304 | NA | 1.0 | Anticoagulation | Stroke |
| 2011 | Sandhu, et al.[13],△ | Canada | Observational | 4,476 | NA | 1.0 | Non-anticoagulation | Stroke |
| 2011 | Van Staa, et al.[14] | Britain | Observational | 79,844 | 49.7 | 2.4 | Anticoagulation | Stroke |
| 2012 | Friberg, et al.[15] | Sweden | Cohort study | 90,490 | NA | 1.5 | Anticoagulation | Stroke |
The study of Olesen was divided into three periods of follow-up: *1 year, #5 years, and †10 years. The study of Sandhu was divided into §anticoagulantand and △non-anticoagulant subgroups. NA: not mentioned; TE: systemic thromboembolism or stroke.