Table 1.
Baseline characteristics of participants receiving early rhythm control or usual care in the overall cohort
| Early rhythm control (n=874) | Usual care (n=8817) | P value | |
| Follow-up duration (years) | 4.94 (2.99–6.92) | 2.54 (0.58–5.50) | <0.001 |
| Age (years) | 68 (64–70) | 70 (66–73) | <0.001 |
| Body mass index (kg/m²) | 28.16 (25.27–31.51) | 28.61 (25.67–32.21) | 0.005 |
| Days until treatment | 45.00 (18–152.25) | – | – |
| Sex (male) | 509 (58%) | 5060 (57%) | 0.641 |
| Chronic kidney disease | 67 (8%) | 771 (9%) | 0.313 |
| Diabetes | 113 (13%) | 1563 (18%) | <0.001 |
| Heart failure | 526 (60%) | 4562 (52%) | <0.001 |
| Hypertension | 803 (92%) | 8094 (92%) | 1.000 |
| Peripheral vascular disease | 37 (4%) | 331 (4%) | 0.458 |
| History of myocardial infarction | 119 (14%) | 1189 (13%) | 0.917 |
| Severe coronary artery disease | 285 (33%) | 2493 (28%) | 0.008 |
| Stroke/transient ischaemic attack | 61 (7%) | 791 (9%) | 0.052 |
| Valvular disease | 53 (6%) | 391 (4%) | 0.034 |
| Dyslipidaemia | 248 (28%) | 2556 (29%) | 0.725 |
| Obstructive sleep apnoea | 17 (2%) | 327 (4%) | 0.005 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease | 44 (5%) | 815 (9%) | <0.001 |
| Malignancy | 135 (15%) | 1823 (21%) | 0.001 |
| History of alcohol abuse | 16 (2%) | 283 (3%) | 0.024 |
| CHA₂DS₂-VASc Score (1st–3rd quartile) | 3 (2–4) | 3 (2–4) | <0.001 |
| Anticoagulation | 607 (69%) | 2599 (29%) | <0.001 |
| Beta blocker | 671 (77%) | 2687 (30%) | <0.001 |
| Digoxin | 128 (15%) | 510 (6%) | 0.066 |
| Sodium channel blockers | 177 (20%) | 67 (1%) | <0.001 |
| Potassium channel blockers | 679 (78%) | 224 (3%) | <0.001 |
| Catheter ablation | 92 (11%) | 0 (0) | – |