Table 1.
Baseline characteristics of ambulatory atrial fibrillation (AF) population by treatment group
| Characteristic | Rhythm control (n = 99) | Rate control (n = 771) | P |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age, y | 70 ± 11.4 | 72.7 ± 9.5 | 0.03 |
| Creatinine, mmol/L) | 94.1 ± 34.5 | 90.6 ± 28.9 | 0.35 |
| Women | 47 (47.5) | 303 (39.3) | 0.13 |
| Rural location | 59 (59.6) | 431 (55.9) | 0.52 |
| Paroxysmal AF | 58 (79.5) | 177 (43.0) | < 0.0001 |
| Persistent AF | 14 (19.2) | 185 (44.9) | < 0.0001 |
| First episode of AF | 1 (1.4%) | 50 (12.1) | < 0.0001 |
| Hypertension | 74 (74.7) | 641 (83.1) | 0.05 |
| Alcohol abuse∗ | 3 (3.0) | 62 (8.0) | 0.1 |
| CHADS2 score | |||
| 0 | 15 (15.2) | 58 (7.5) | 0.01 |
| 1 | 24 (24.2) | 153 (19.8) | |
| ≥ 2 | 60 (60.6) | 560 (72.6) | |
| Previous stroke, systemic embolism, or transient ischemic attack | 14 (14.1) | 151 (19.6) | 0.22 |
| Previous myocardial infarction | 11 (11.1) | 113 (14.7) | 0.44 |
| Obstructive sleep apnea | 29 (29.3) | 143 (18.5) | 0.02 |
| Ablation (for atrial flutter or AF) | 13 (13.1) | 36 (4.7) | 0.002 |
| Pacemaker/ICD | 9 (9.1) | 101 (13.1) | 0.33 |
| Cardioversion | 13 (13.1) | 22 (2.9) | < 0.0001 |
| Prior echocardiogram | 62 (62.6) | 457 (59.3) | 0.59 |
Values are mean ± standard deviation, or n (%), unless otherwise indicated.
CHADS2, Congestive Heart Failure, Hypertension, Age ≥ 75, Diabetes, and Prior Stroke/Transient Ischemic Attack (doubled); ICD, implantable cardioverter defibrillator.
∗
Alcohol abuse was defined as ≥ 3 drinks per day or > 11 drinks per week for women, and as ≥ 4 drinks per day or > 16 drinks per week for men.