Clinical characteristics and prognostic factors of atrial fibrillation at a tertiary center of Pakistan – from a South-Asian perspective – A cross-sectional study

Authors

Intisar Ahmed, Aga Khan UniversityFollow
Aiysha Nasir, Aga Khan University
Pirbhat Shams, Aga Khan UniversityFollow
Hunaina Shahab, Aga Khan UniversityFollow
Muhammad Hassan, Aga Khan University
Faryal Subhani, Aga Khan UniversityFollow
Ghurfan Adnan, Aga Khan UniversityFollow
Awais Farhad, Aga Khan UniversityFollow
Aamir Hameed, Aga Khan UniversityFollow
Yawer Saeed, Aga Khan UniversityFollow

Document Type

Article

Department

Cardiology

Abstract

Background: There is lack of large data from South-Asian region on atrial fibrillation and it is imperative that clinical presentation, prognostic factors, management pursued, and outcomes are known for this part of the world. Once collective evidence for the region is known, region-specific guidelines can be laid forward.
Objectives: To evaluate clinical characteristics and prognostic factors of atrial fibrillation at a tertiary care center of Pakistan.
Methods: This was a retrospective study conducted at a tertiary care center of Pakistan. Period of study ranged from July-December 2018. All hospitalized patients who were admitted with atrial fibrillation as a primary or associated diagnosis were enrolled.
Results: A total of 636 patients were enrolled. The mean age was 68.5 ± 12 years and 49.5% (315) were male. 90.6% of the patients were admitted via emergency room. Majority (59.9%) had previously known AF and 40% developed new-onset AF during the hospital stay. Hypertension was the most common co-morbid condition (85.4%) followed by Diabetes Mellitus (40.1%). At least 9% had rheumatic heart disease. The median CHA2DS2VASc and HASBLED scores were 4 and 2 respectively. More than one-third of patients had sepsis as a primary diagnosis (36.8%). The in-hospital mortality of patients with atrial fibrillation was 6.7%. Patients with new-onset AF had higher mortality. Sepsis and stroke were independently associated with a higher mortality. There was no significant difference in median CHA2DS2VASc and HASBLED scores for patients with new-onset and previously known AF. On discharge, 83% of the eligible patients received oral anticoagulation.
Conclusion: There was higher prevalence of chronic co-morbid conditions in the studied population leading to a higher CHA2DS2VASC Score. Sepsis and stroke were independently associated with higher in-hospital mortality.

Comments

Issue, and pagination are not provided by the author/publisher

Publication (Name of Journal)

Annals of medicine and surgery

Recommended Citation

Ahmed, I., Nasir, A., Shams, P., Shahab, H., Hassan, M., Subhani, F., Adnan, G., Farhad, A., Hameed, A., Saeed, Y. (2022). Clinical characteristics and prognostic factors of atrial fibrillation at a tertiary center of Pakistan – from a South-Asian perspective – A cross-sectional study. Annals of medicine and surgery, 73.
Available at: https://ecommons.aku.edu/pakistan_fhs_mc_med_cardiol/200

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.