Clinical characteristics and prognostic impact of atrial fibrillation in patients with chronic heart failure

Table 1 Characteristics of study population by presence of atrial fibrillation or sinus rhythm at baseline

	Atrial fibrillation (n = 173)	Sinus rhythm (n = 730)	P value
Demographics and physical examination
Age (yr)	72 ± 11	66 ± 12	< 0.0001
Age ≥ 65 yr (%)	81	60	< 0.0001
Male gender (%)	70	73	0.42
SBP (mmHg)	127 ± 18	130 ± 19	0.10
DBP (mmHg)	74 ± 10	75 ± 10	0.47
NYHA II-III (%)	60	44	0.0002
Aetiology
CAD (%)	28	52	< 0.0001
Previous CABG/PCI (%)	21	37	< 0.0001
Without CAD (%)	22	24	0.58
Others/idiopathic (%)	50	24	< 0.0001
Valve surgery (%)	13	4	< 0.0001
Device
Any PM (%)	30	19	0.001
CRT-P/CRT-D (%)	10	7	0.14
ICD (%)	11	16	0.07
Any device (%)	31	21	0.005
History of VT (%)	2	5	0.06
Risk factors
Hypertension (%)	61	60	0.81
Diabetes mellitus (%)	24	28	0.39
Dyslipidaemia (%)	23	37	0.0004
Ever smoke (%)	27	41	0.0010
Comorbidities
Cancer history (%)	12	10	0.47
COPD (%)	14	13	0.55
Anaemia (%)	6	10	0.11
CKD (eGFR < 60) (%)	7	8	0.57
ECG
Heart rate (bpm)	80 ± 19	70 ± 13	< 0.0001
PM stimulation (%)	24	8	< 0.0001
Right bundle branch block (%)	7	5	0.65
Left bundle branch block (%)	9	16	0.01
Echocardiogram
Preserved LVEF (> 45%) (%)	29	21	0.022
LVEF (%)	38 ± 14	35 ± 12	0.05
Medications
Beta-blockers (%)	72	80	0.01
ACEi/ARB (%)	71	79	0.02
Beta-blockers and ACEi/ARB (%)	51	66	0.0003
Aldosterone blockers (%)	46	37	0.02
Diuretics (%)	87	69	< 0.0001
Calcium channel blockers (%)	6	13	0.01
Alfa-blockers (%)	6	8	0.55
Digoxin (%)	51	11	< 0.0001
Statin (%)	28	49	< 0.0001
Amiodarone (%)	6	13	0.01
Antithrombotic treatment (%)	19	63	< 0.0001
OAT (%)	82	16	< 0.0001
DAPT (%)	2	16	< 0.0001
OAT and antithrombotic (%)	8	2	0.0006
Antithrombotic only (%)	11	61	< 0.0001

SBP: Systolic blood pressure; DBP: Diastolic blood pressure; NYHA: New York Heart Association; CAD: Coronary artery disease; CABG: Coronary artery bypass grafting; PCI: Percutaneous coronary intervention; PM: Pacemaker; CRT-P/D: Cardiac resynchronization therapy pacing/defibrillator; ICD: Internal cardioverter defibrillator; VT: Ventricular tachycardia; COPD: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; CKD: Chronic kidney disease; eGFR: Estimated glomerular filtration rate (obtained by CKD-EPI formula); LVEF: Left ventricular ejection fraction; ACEi: ACE inhibitors; ARB: Angiotensin receptor blockers; OAT: Oral anticoagulant treatment; DAPT: Dual anti-platelet therapy.