Table 1.
Baseline characteristics of the PREFER in AF study participants by gender
| Variables | Women (n=2546) | Men (n=3866) | Women-to-men OR* | 95% CI |
| Risk factors | ||||
| Age, years (SD) | 74.1 (9.7) | 70.1 (10.7) | ||
| Body mass index, kg/m² (SD) | 27.6 (5.4) | 28.2 (4.7) | ||
| Systolic blood pressure, mm Hg (SD) | 132.7 (17.4) | 130.5 (16.1) | ||
| Ever smoking, n (%) | 452 (18.2) | 1958 (51.9) | 0.21 | (0.19 to 0.24) |
| Alcohol excess (=8 units/week), n (%) | 14 (0.6) | 149 (3.9) | 0.16 | (0.09 to 0.27) |
| Lack of guideline compliance in anticoagulant therapy, n (%) | 79 (3.1) | 83 (2.2) | 1.17 | (0.85 to 1.62) |
| EHRA score>2, n (%) | 1564 (62.1) | 1899 (49.6) | 1.68 | (1.51 to 1.87) |
| CHA2DS2−VASc ≥2†, n (%) | 2235 (95.2) | 2823 (78.9) | 5.55 | (4.26 to 7.22) |
| HAS-BLED ≥2, n (%) | 1483 (70.8) | 2072 (65.4) | 0.85 | (0.74 to 0.97) |
| Disease history | ||||
| Diabetes mellitus, n (%) | 529 (21.0) | 893 (23.3) | 0.82 | (0.73 to 0.93) |
| Dyslipidaemia, n (%) | 1035 (41.6) | 1745 (46.2) | 0.80 | (0.72 to 0.88) |
| Chronic renal insufficiency, n (%) | 321 (12.9) | 521 (13.8) | 0.73 | (0.63 to 0.85) |
| Chronic hepatic disease, n (%) | 53 (2.1) | 72 (1.9) | 1.00 | (0.70 to 1.45) |
| Hyperthyroidism, n (%) | 130 (5.2) | 137 (3.6) | 1.50 | (1.17 to 1.93) |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, n (%) | 252 (10.0) | 475 (12.4) | 0.68 | (0.57 to 0.80) |
| Major gastrointestinal/cerebrovascular/ other bleeding events, n (%) | 98 (3.9) | 168 (4.4) | 0.80 | (0.62 to 1.04) |
| Prevalent cardiovascular disease (CHD, peripheral arterial disease, myocardial infarction), n (%) |
467 (18.9) | 1194 (31.7) | 0.41 | (0.36 to 0.47) |
| Stent insertion, n (%) | 140 (5.6) | 527 (13.9) | 0.33 | (0.27 to 0.40) |
| Heart valve dysfunction, n (%) | 1106 (44.2) | 1375 (36.1) | 1.25 | (1.12 to 1.39) |
| Variables | Women (n=2546) | Men (n=3866) | Women-to-men OR* | 95% CI |
| Heart valve replacement, n (%) | 150 (6.0) | 201 (5.3) | 1.09 | (0.88 to 1.37) |
| Heart failure, n (%) | 653 (26.5) | 1150 (30.6) | 0.72 | (0.64 to 0.80) |
| Previous ischaemic stroke/TIA/other ischaemic thromboembolic event, n (%) | 406 (16.2) | 555 (14.5) | 1.04 | (0.90 to 1.20) |
| Sinus rhythm at baseline, n (%) | 823 (32.5) | 1134 (29.5) | 1.37 | (1.22 to 1.53) |
| Adequate heart rate control (60–100 bpm) at baseline, n (%) | 1077 (51.7) | 1605 (51.0) | 0.98 | (0.87 to 1.09) |
| Medication | ||||
| Antiplatelet agents, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs,‡ n (%) | 572 (22.6) | 978 (25.5) | 0.82 | (0.73 to 0.93) |
| Antiarrhythmic drugs, n (%) | 1594 (62.6) | 2257 (58.4) | 1.31 | (1.18 to 1.46) |
Mean and SD and number and percentages are presented.
*Univariate ORs for gender were obtained by logistic regression adjusted for age and country.
†CHA2DS2–VASc score included the extra point for female gender.
‡Medication as used in the HAS-BLED score. Lack of guideline compliance indicates lack of treatment with oral anticoagulant in the previous 12 months despite guideline indication without contraindication.
AF, atrial fibrillation; CHA2DS2–VASc, congestive heart failure, hypertension, age ≥75 years, diabetes mellitus, stroke, vascular disease, age 65–74 years, sex category; CHD, coronary heart disease; EHRA, European Heart Rhythm Association; HAS-BLED, hypertension, abnormal renal/liver function, stroke, bleeding history or predisposition, labile international normalised ratio, elderly, drugs/alcohol concomitantly; PREFER, PREvention oF thromboembolic events - European Registry; TIA, transient ischaemic attack.