Table 1.
Demographic and clinical characteristics of the patients at baseline
| Characteristics | Overall, N = 2633a | Symptom status at baseline (EHRA Class) |
P-valueb | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asymptomatic (EHRA I), N = 801a | Mild or moderate symptoms (EHRA II), N = 1358a | Severe symptoms (EHRA III/IV), N = 474a | |||
| Age | 71 (66.0, 76) | 72 (67.0, 77) | 71 (65.2, 75) | 72 (65.0, 76) | 0.003 |
| Female sex | 1223/2633 (46%) | 300/801 (37%) | 629/1358 (46%) | 294/474 (62%) | <0.001 |
| Body mass index (calculated) (kg/m2) | 28.6 (25.5, 32.1) | 28.4 (25.6, 32.0) | 28.3 (25.4, 31.8) | 29.4 (25.8, 33.1) | 0.047 |
| AF type | <0.001 | ||||
| First episode | 1029/2633 (39%) | 390/801 (49%) | 442/1358 (33%) | 197/474 (42%) | |
| Paroxysmal | 901/2633 (34%) | 201/801 (25%) | 532/1358 (39%) | 168/474 (35%) | |
| Persistent or long-standing persistent | 703/2633 (27%) | 210/801 (26%) | 384/1358 (28%) | 109/474 (23%) | |
| Sinus rhythm at baseline | 1424/2632 (54%) | 401/800 (50%) | 742/1358 (55%) | 281/474 (59%) | 0.079 |
| Median days since AF diagnosis (IQR) | 35.0 (6.0, 110.0) | 23.0 (4.0, 86.0) | 44.0 (8.0, 124.8) | 24.0 (4.0, 103.8) | 0.002 |
| Previous pharmacological or electrical cardioversion | 1046/2602 (40%) | 276/788 (35%) | 564/1346 (42%) | 206/468 (44%) | <0.001 |
| Concomitant cardiovascular conditions | |||||
| Previous stroke or transient ischaemic attack | 303/2633 (12%) | 116/801 (14%) | 140/1358 (10%) | 47/474 (9.9%) | 0.014 |
| At least mild cognitive impairment | 1110/2524 (44%) | 383/777 (49%) | 514/1309 (39%) | 213/438 (49%) | 0.007 |
| MoCA score | <0.001 | ||||
| None | 1414/2524 (56%) | 394/777 (51%) | 795/1309 (61%) | 225/438 (51%) | |
| Mild | 1016/2524 (40%) | 343/777 (44%) | 482/1309 (37%) | 191/438 (44%) | |
| Moderate | 86/2524 (3.4%) | 38/777 (4.9%) | 29/1309 (2.2%) | 19/438 (4.3%) | |
| Severe | 8/2524 (0.3%) | 2/777 (0.3%) | 3/1309 (0.2%) | 3/438 (0.7%) | |
| Arterial hypertension | 2306/2633 (88%) | 693/801 (87%) | 1194/1358 (88%) | 419/474 (88%) | 0.64 |
| Systolic blood pressure (mmHg) | 135 (123.0, 150) | 137 (123.0, 150) | 135 (123.0, 149) | 137 (122.0, 150) | 0.23 |
| Diastolic blood pressure (mmHg) | 80 (73.0, 90) | 80 (72.0, 90) | 80 (74.0, 90) | 80 (70.0, 89) | 0.023 |
| Stable heart failure | 738/2633 (28%) | 169/801 (21%) | 396/1358 (29%) | 173/474 (36%) | <0.001 |
| CHA2DS2-Vasc score | 3.0 (2.0, 4.0) | 3.0 (2.0, 4.0) | 3.0 (2.0, 4.0) | 3.0 (3.0, 4.0) | <0.001 |
| Chronic kidney disease of MDRD stage 3 or 4 | 337/2633 (13%) | 104/801 (13%) | 171/1358 (13%) | 62/474 (13%) | 0.72 |
| Medication at discharge | |||||
| Oral anticoagulation with NOAC or VKA | 2378/2633 (90%) | 723/801 (90%) | 1223/1358 (90%) | 432/474 (91%) | 0.11 |
| Digoxin or digitoxin | 129/2633 (4.9%) | 24/801 (3.0%) | 77/1358 (5.7%) | 28/474 (5.9%) | 0.003 |
| Beta-blockers | 2130/2633 (81%) | 624/801 (78%) | 1099/1358 (81%) | 407/474 (86%) | 0.005 |
| ACE inhibitors or angiotensin II receptor blocker | 1838/2633 (70%) | 580/801 (72%) | 929/1358 (68%) | 329/474 (69%) | 0.41 |
| Mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist | 170/2633 (6.5%) | 53/801 (6.6%) | 88/1358 (6.5%) | 29/474 (6.1%) | 0.74 |
| Diuretic | 1067/2633 (41%) | 322/801 (40%) | 521/1358 (38%) | 224/474 (47%) | 0.004 |
| Statin | 1139/2633 (43%) | 399/801 (50%) | 556/1358 (41%) | 184/474 (39%) | 0.002 |
| Platelet inhibitor | 437/2633 (17%) | 146/801 (18%) | 210/1358 (15%) | 81/474 (17%) | 0.24 |
| Planned therapy for rhythm control at baseline | 0.15 | ||||
| AAD | 1193/2633 (45%) | 369/801 (46%) | 595/1358 (44%) | 229/474 (48%) | |
| Ablation | 104/2633 (3.9%) | 25/801 (3.1%) | 55/1358 (4.1%) | 24/474 (5.1%) | |
| None | 1336/2633 (51%) | 407/801 (51%) | 708/1358 (52%) | 221/474 (47%) | |
MoCA score categories: none: ≥26; mild: 18–25; moderate: 10–17; severe: <10.
AF, atrial fibrillation.
a
Median (IQR) or frequency with number/total number (%).
b
P-values resulting from mixed linear or logistic regression models and Analysis of Deviance Table (Type II Wald chi-square tests). Nominal variables were tested with Pearson's Chi-squared test. AAD, antiarrhythmic drug; BL, baseline; CI, confidence interval; IQR, interquartile range; HF, heart failure; ITT, intention to treat; MDRD, Modification of Diet in Renal Disease; MoCA, Montréal Cognitive Assessment; NOAC, non vitamin-K-antagonist oral anticoagulant; VKA, vitamin K antagonist.