Table 1.
Demographics and baseline characteristics
| Treatment group |
Total (n = 100) | P-value | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vernakalant (n = 49) | Ibutilide (n = 51) | |||
| Baseline characteristics | ||||
| Male, n (%) | 34 (69.4) | 34 (66.7) | 68 | 0.832 |
| Age (year), mean (SD) | 56.2 (14.32) | 56.7 (15.77) | 56.5 (15.00) | 0.873 |
| Weight (kg), mean (SD) | 87.6 (16.57) | 87.0 (15.21) | 87.3 (15.81) | 0.847 |
| No previous episode of AF, n (%) | 21 (42.9) | 15 (29.4) | 36 | 0.212 |
| 1–5 previous episodes of AF, n (%) | 15 (30.6) | 22 (43.1) | 37 | 0.211 |
| 6–10 previous episodes of AF, n (%) | 7 (14.3) | 7 (14.3) | 14 | 1.000 |
| >10 previous episodes of AF, n (%) | 5 (10.2) | 5 (10.2) | 10 | 1.000 |
| History of at least one previous pharmacological cardioversion, n (%) | 12 (24.5) | 21 (41.2) | 33 | 0.091 |
| History of at least one previous electrical cardioversion, n (%) | 15 (30.6) | 17 (33.3) | 32 | 0.832 |
| Paroxysmal AF, n (%) | 8 (16.3) | 6 (11.8) | 14 | 0.573 |
| Persistent AF, n (%) | 20 (40.8) | 30 (58.8) | 50 | 0.109 |
| Median duration of current AF (h), mean (SD) | 10.9 (9.9) | 8.7 (6.2) | 9.7 (8.25) | 0.797 |
| AF duration ≤24 h, n (%) | 43 (87.8) | 50 (98.0) | 93 | 0.057 |
| Medical history, n (%) | ||||
| Hypertension | 30 (61.2) | 36 (70.6) | 66 | 0.400 |
| Diabetes | 5 (10.2) | 6 (11.8) | 11 | 1.000 |
| Dyslipidaemia | 24 (49) | 21 (41.2) | 45 | 0.547 |
| Smoking or previous smoking | 17 (34.7) | 18 (35.3) | 35 | 0.791 |
| Hypothyreosis | 6 (12.2) | 6 (11.8) | 11 | 0.760 |
| Hyperthyreosis | 1 (2.0) | 1 (2.0) | 2 | 1.000 |
| Previous ablation/PVI | 2 (4.1) | 7 (13.7) | 9 | 0.160 |
| Coronary heart disease | 3 (6.1) | 4 (7.8) | 7 | 1.000 |
| Scores, n (%) | ||||
| NYHA I | 42 (85.7) | 49 (96.1) | 91 | 0.105 |
| NYHA II | 6 (12.2) | 2 (3.9) | 8 | 0.160 |
| EHRA ≤2 | 38 (77.6) | 40 (78.4) | 78 | 1.000 |
| EHRA >2 | 11 (22.4) | 11 (21.6) | 22 | 1.000 |
| CHA2DS2VASc (mean, IQR) | 1.7 (1–2) | 1.8 (1–3) | 1.8 (1–2) | 0.665 |
| Regular oral medication, n (%) | ||||
| β-Blockers | 23 (46.9) | 29 (56.9) | 52 | 0.423 |
| Digitalis glycosides | 2 (4.1) | 1 (2.0) | 3 | 0.614 |
| Amiodarone | 4 (8.2) | 1 (2.0) | 5 | 0.200 |
| Sotalol | 1 (2.0) | 3 (5.9) | 4 | 0.618 |
| ACE inhibitors or ARBs | 26 (53.1) | 29 (56.9) | 55 | 0.841 |
| Thyroid hormone substitution | 6 (12.2) | 6 (11.8) | 12 | 1.000 |
Values are patients, n (%). β-Blockers: oral non-selective and selective β-blockers (excluding sotalol) and α- and β-blocking agents (e.g. carvedilol); digitalis glycosides: digoxin and digitoxin.
AF, atrial fibrillation; ACE, angiotensin-converting enzyme; ARBs, angiotensin II receptor blockers; EHRA, European Heart Rhythm Association; IQR, interquartile range; NYHA, New York Heart Association; PVI, pulmonary vein isolation; SD, standard deviation.