Abstract

Introduction

Risk for stroke and systemic embolism (SE) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and heart failure (HF) with mid-range (mr) ejection fraction (EF) is not well known.

Methods

Total 10,780 patients (age, 66.8±11.1 years; men, 64.7%) with AF were included in a prospective, multicenter AF registry. The patients were grouped into four according to HF type: no-HF, HF with preserved EF (HFpEF), HFmrEF, and HF with reduced EF (HFrEF). Baseline characteristics, cumulative incidence and hazard ratios for stroke/SE, major bleeding, and mortality were compared among the four groups.

Results

Proportion of patients with HF was 10.3%: HFpEF, 43.7%; HFmrEF, 23.6%; HFrEF, 32.7%. CHA2DS2-VASc score was significantly higher in the HFpEF, HFmrEF, and HFrEF groups than the no-HF group (4.0±1.7, 3.8±1.8, 3.5±1.8, and 2.5±1.6, respectively). Oral anticoagulants were administered in 83.6% of patients with CHA2DS2-VASc score ≥1. Annual incidence of stroke/SE was 2.0% in HFpEF group, 0.6% in HFmrEF group, 1.1% in HFrEF group, and 0.7% in no-HF group for 23.0±9.5 months of follow-up period. Cumulative incidence of stroke/SE was significantly higher in the HFpEF group than the no-HF and HFmrEF groups (p<0.001 and p=0.042, respectively; Figure). Risk for stroke/SE was significantly higher in the HFpEF group than the no-HF group [hazard ratio, 1.929; 95% confidence interval, 1.171–3.179, p=0.010]. There were no significant differences in risk for stroke/SE in the HFmrEF and HFrEF groups, compared with the no-HF group. There were no significant differences in major bleeding and mortality among the groups.

Conclusions

Risk for stroke/SE is highest in HFpEF and lowest in HFmrEF in patients with AF and HF.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding source: Public grant(s) – National budget only. Main funding source(s): National Research Foundation of Korea

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