Prevalence of atrial fibrillation

Abstract Background Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia worldwide and is associated with increased morbi-mortality. The prevalence of AF in the Western world is increasing; however, reports on the prevalence of AF in the past decade are scarce, and whether the prevalence of AF increased during the last decade in Switzerland remains uncertain. Therefore, using data from a Swiss population-based sample, we aimed to assess the point prevalence of AF from 2014 to 2017 and to investigate determinants of AF. Methods A cross-sectional analysis of 4616 Caucasian participants aged 45–86 years (55% women) from a population-based sample was designed to explore the point prevalence and determinants of cardiovascular risk factors in the population of Lausanne, Switzerland. AF was assessed using electrocardiography (ECG) between 2014 and 2017. Results Overall, the point prevalence of AF was 0.9% (95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 0.7–1.2%) and the combined AF + atrial flutter (AFL) point prevalence was 1.1% (95% CI: 8.4–1.5%). The point prevalence of AF was higher among men (81% vs. 19% in women) and increased with age, reaching 3.1% in participants aged ≥ 80. In multivariable analysis, male gender (odds ratio and 95% CI: 4.98 [1.01–24.6]) and increasing age (2.86 [1.40–5.87] per decade) were associated with AF. Conclusion The point prevalence of AF and of AF + AFL, assessed between 2014 and 2017 in the city of Lausanne (Switzerland), was low but increased with age and in men.

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Sociodemographic factors and choice of oral anticoagulant in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation in Sweden: a population-based cross-sectional study using data from national registers

BMC Cardiovascular Disorders ◽

10.1186/s12872-019-1029-z ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Venkatesh Kumar Gurusamy ◽

Gunnar Brobert ◽

Pareen Vora ◽

Leif Friberg

Keyword(s):

Atrial Fibrillation ◽

Oral Anticoagulant ◽

Sociodemographic Factors ◽

Population Based ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Using Data

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Chronic joint symptoms in adults: A population-based study

Revista da Associação Médica Brasileira ◽

10.1590/1806-9282.63.07.575 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 63 (7) ◽

pp. 575-582

Author(s):

Silvia Helena de Oliveira Morais ◽

Wellington Segheto ◽

Danielle Cristina Guimarães da Silva ◽

France Araújo Coelho ◽

Vanessa Guimarães Reis ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Adult Population ◽

Multivariable Analysis ◽

Population Based ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Sampling Scheme ◽

Cluster Sampling ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Joint Symptoms ◽

Heavy Work ◽

The City

Summary Objective: To analyze factors associated with chronic joint symptoms (CJS) in adults. Method: A population-based, cross-sectional study was performed with a sample of 1,217 adults aged between 20 and 59 years, in the city of Viçosa, in 2014. The sampling process was performed by conglomerates and sample was selected using a two-stage cluster-sampling scheme. First, 30 of the 99 census tracts of Viçosa were randomly selected using a random sampling scheme, without replacement. Household questionnaires were applied to obtain CJS data, sociodemographic conditions, behavioral factors and health status. Multivariable analysis was conducted using Poisson regression, adjusted for the sampling design effect, using the svy commands in Stata software. Results: Prevalence of CJS totaled 31.27%, significantly higher in women (18.45). Age ranges 40-49 (PR 1.50; 95CI 1.16-1.92) and 50-59 years (PR 1.55; 95CI 1.07-2.25); overweight (PR 1.60; 95CI 1.28-2.00); obesity (PR 1.60; 95CI 1.11-2.29); and those who self-reported performing heavy work (PR 1.27; 95CI 1.09-1.48) showed higher prevalences of CJS. Conclusion: Women and individuals who were older, overweight and performing heavy work had a higher risk of CJS in this adult population residing in Viçosa, MG, Brazil.

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Evolving landscape of stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation within the UK between 2012 and 2016: a cross-sectional analysis study using CPRD

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2016-015363 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 7 (9) ◽

pp. e015363 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Laure Lacoin ◽

Matthew Lumley ◽

Essra Ridha ◽

Marta Pereira ◽

Laura McDonald ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Atrial Fibrillation ◽

Stroke Prevention ◽

Population Based ◽

Practice Research ◽

Clinical Practice Research Datalink ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Risk Patients ◽

General Practices ◽

The Uk ◽

Sectional Analysis

ObjectiveTo describe the changes in prescribing of oral anticoagulant (AC) and antiplatelet (AP) agents in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) in the UK and to identify the characteristics associated with deviation from guideline-based recommendations.DesignFive cross-sectional analyses in a large retrospective population-based cohort study.SettingGeneral practices contributing data to the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink.ParticipantsThe study included patients with a diagnosis of NVAF and eligible for anticoagulation (CHA2DS2-VASc score ≥2) on 1 April of 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 1st January 2016.ResultsThe proportion of patients being treated with AC increased at each index date, showing an absolute rise of 16.7% over the study period. At the same time, the proportion of patients treated with an AP alone was reduced by half, showing an absolute decrease of 16.8%. The proportion of patients not receiving any antithrombotic (AT) treatment remained the same across the study period. A number of predictors were identified for AP alone or no treatment compared with AC treatment.ConclusionMajor improvements in the AT management of patients with NVAF for stroke prevention in the UK were observed between April 2012 and January 2016. Despite this, nearly 20% of at-risk patients still received AP alone and over 15% were on no AT agents in January 2016.

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Poor Awareness of Hypertension in France: The CONSTANCES Population-Based Study

American Journal of Hypertension ◽

10.1093/ajh/hpaa018 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 33 (6) ◽

pp. 543-551

Author(s):

Goël Fenech ◽

Alexandre Vallée ◽

Michelle Cherfan ◽

Sofiane Kab ◽

Marcel Goldberg ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Associated Factors ◽

Female Gender ◽

Population Based ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Logistic Regression Models ◽

Average Blood Pressure ◽

Hypertension Awareness ◽

Multivariable Regression ◽

Using Data ◽

Sectional Analysis

Abstract OBJECTIVES We aimed to assess the hypertension (HTN) awareness and associated factors in France. METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional analysis using data from the CONSTANCES population-based cohort involving 87,808 volunteer participants included between 2012 and 2018. HTN was defined as average blood pressure (BP) over 140/90 or use of BP medication, awareness as self-reported HTN. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to identify the associated factors. RESULTS Overall, 27,160 hypertensive participants (men = 16,569) above 18 years old were analyzed. Hypertension awareness rate was 37.5%. In the multivariable regression model, awareness was predicted by female gender, age, prior cardiovascular disease (CVD), presence of diabetes mellitus (DM), presence of chronic kidney disease (CKD), level of education, and obesity or overweight. Older participants (P < 0.001), females (P < 0.001), participants with comorbidities (P < 0.001), were more likely to be aware when compared with younger participants, males and participants without comorbidities, respectively. The unawareness among participants without cardiometabolic factors (CMF, i.e., CVD, DM, CKD) was higher than participants with CMF (67% vs. 41%, respectively, P < 0.001). Moreover, some differences appeared in both genders in the association between awareness of HTN and health and lifestyle factors. CONCLUSION Our findings show that HTN awareness is low. Particular attention should be given to young men without comorbidities as these characteristics were predictors of poor awareness. Immediate action is required to improve HTN awareness in France.

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Temporal Trends of Emergency Department Visits of Patients with Atrial Fibrillation: A Nationwide Population-Based Study

Journal of Clinical Medicine ◽

10.3390/jcm9051485 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (5) ◽

pp. 1485

Author(s):

So-Ryoung Lee ◽

Eue-Keun Choi ◽

Seo-Young Lee ◽

Euijae Lee ◽

Kyung-Do Han ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Atrial Fibrillation ◽

Emergency Department ◽

Temporal Trends ◽

Population Based ◽

Emergency Department Visits ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Ed Visits ◽

Management Approaches ◽

Sectional Analysis ◽

Over Time

We aimed to describe temporal trends in emergency department (ED) visits of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) over 12 years. A repeated cross-sectional analysis of ED visits in AF patients using the Korean nationwide claims database between 2006 and 2017 were conducted. We identified AF patients who had ≥1 ED visits. The incidence of ED visits among total AF population, cause of ED visit, and clinical outcomes were evaluated. During 12 years, the annual numbers of AF patients who attended ED at least once a year continuously increased (40,425 to 99,763). However, the annual incidence of ED visits of AF patients was stationary at about 30% because the number of total AF patients also increased during the same period. The most common cause of ED visits was cerebral infarction. Although patients had a higher risk profile over time, the 30-day and 90-day mortality after ED visit decreased over time. ED visits due to ischemic stroke, intracranial hemorrhage, and myocardial infarction decreased, whereas ED visits due to AF, gastrointestinal bleeding, and other major bleeding slightly increased among total AF population over 12 years. A substantial proportion of AF patients attended ED every year, and the annual numbers of AF patients who visited the ED significantly increased over 12 years. Optimized management approaches in a holistic and integrated manner should be provided to reduce ED visits of AF patients.

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The association between serum alanine aminotransferase and hypertension: A national based cross-sectional analysis among over 21 million Chinese adults

BMC Cardiovascular Disorders ◽

10.1186/s12872-021-01948-0 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Jiajing Jia ◽

Ying Yang ◽

Fangchao Liu ◽

Minjin Zhang ◽

Qin Xu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Alanine Aminotransferase ◽

Elevated Serum ◽

Population Based ◽

Reproductive Age ◽

Chinese Adults ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Serum Alanine Aminotransferase ◽

Cross Sectional Analysis ◽

Registration Data ◽

Sectional Analysis

Abstract Background Inconsistent results were found in the association between serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and hypertension among population-based studies. This study evaluated the association between ALT and hypertension among Chinese reproductive-age population by utilizing registration data from National Free Pre-pregnancy Checkups Project in 2016–2017. Methods The 21,103,790 registered participants were eligible for analysis, including women who were 20–49 years old and men who were 20–59 years old with available data for ALT and blood pressure (BP). Logistic regression was conducted to estimate odds ratio (OR) for the association between ALT and hypertension as a binary outcome. Linear regression was used to examine the association between ALT and BP as a continuous outcome. Results In total, 4.21% of the participants were hypertensive, and 11.67% had elevated ALT (> 40 U/L). Hypertension prevalence was 3.63% and 8.56% among participants with normal and elevated ALT levels. A strong linear relationship was found between serum ALT levels and the odds of hypertension after adjustment for potential confounders. The multivariable-adjusted ORs for hypertension were 1, 1.22 (1.21, 1.22), 1.67 (1.65 1.68), 1.78 (1.76, 1.80), and 1.92 (1.90, 1.94) in participants with ALT levels of ≤ 20, 20.01–40, 40.01–60, 60.01–80, and > 80 U/L, respectively. Systolic and diastolic BPs rose by 1.83 and 1.20 mmHg on average, for each 20 U/L increase in ALT (P for trend < 0.001). The association was consistent among subgroups and tended to be stronger among populations who are overweight (body mass index ≥ 24 kg/m2) (χ2 = 52,228, P < 0.001), alcohol drinking (χ2 = 100,730, P < 0.001) and cigarette smoking (χ2 = 105,347, P < 0.001). Conclusions Our cross-sectional analysis suggested a linear association between serum ALT and hypertension or BP, which indicated that abnormal liver metabolism marked by elevated serum ALT could play a role in hypertension or elevated BP condition.

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Mortality in patients with atrial fibrillation with or without heart failure following hospital discharge

European Heart Journal ◽

10.1093/ehjci/ehaa946.0362 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 41 (Supplement_2) ◽

Author(s):

A Kartas ◽

A Samaras ◽

D Vasdeki ◽

G Dividis ◽

G Fotos ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Heart Failure ◽

Atrial Fibrillation ◽

Primary Endpoint ◽

Cox Regression ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Tertiary Center ◽

All Cause Mortality ◽

Endpoint Event ◽

Secondary Endpoints ◽

Sectional Analysis

Abstract Background The association of heart failure (HF) with the prognosis of atrial fibrillation (AF) remains unclear. OBJECTIVES To assess all-cause mortality in patients following hospitalization with comorbid AF in relation to the presence of HF. Methods We performed a cross-sectional analysis of data from 977 patients discharged from the cardiology ward of a single tertiary center between 2015 and 2018 and followed for a median of 2 years. The association between HF and the primary endpoint of death from any cause was assessed using multivariable Cox regression. Results HF was documented in 505 (51.7%) of AF cases at discharge, including HFrEF (17.9%), HFmrEF (16.5%) and HFpEF (25.2%). A primary endpoint event occurred in 212 patients (42%) in the AF-HF group and in 86 patients (18.2%) in the AF-no HF group (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 2.27; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.65 to 3.13; P<0.001). HF was associated with a higher risk of the composite secondary endpoint of death from any cause, AF or HF-specific hospitalization (aHR 1.69; 95% CI 1.32 to 2.16 p<0.001). The associations of HF with the primary and secondary endpoints were significant and similar for AF-HFrEF, AF-HFmrEF, AF-HFpEF. Conclusions HF was present in half of the patients discharged from the hospital with comorbid AF. The presence of HF on top of AF was independently associated with a significantly higher risk of all-cause mortality than did absence of HF, irrespective of HF subtype. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: None

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Comparison of healthcare resource utilization and medical costs between patients with seropositive and seronegative rheumatoid arthritis

Therapeutic Advances in Musculoskeletal Disease ◽

10.1177/1759720x211024830 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 ◽

pp. 1759720X2110248

Author(s):

Hyoungyoung Kim ◽

Soo-Kyung Cho ◽

Seongmi Choi ◽

Seul Gi Im ◽

Sun-Young Jung ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Rheumatoid Arthritis ◽

Quantile Regression ◽

Healthcare Utilization ◽

Medical Costs ◽

Healthcare Resource Utilization ◽

Medical Utilization ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Direct Medical Costs ◽

Using Data ◽

Sectional Analysis

Objectives: To compare healthcare utilization and medical costs between patients with seronegative (SN) and seropositive (SP) rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods: We conducted a nationwide population study using the Korean health insurance claims database in 2016. We divided patients with RA into SN and SP groups and compared healthcare utilization including medications, medical utilization, and direct medical costs for 1 year between the groups in a cross-sectional analysis. Differences in costs between patients with SPRA and SNRA were assessed using the quantile regression model. We performed longitudinal analysis using data from 2012 and 2016 to examine changes over time. Results: A total of 103,815 SPRA and 75,809 SNRA patients were included in the analyses. The SPRA group used significantly more methotrexate (73.2% versus 30.3%) and biologic agents (7.9% versus 2.9%) than the SNRA group. The number of RA-related outpatient visits [6.0 ± 3.7 versus 4.4 ± 4.0 times/year, standardized difference (SD) = 0.41] and annual medical costs per patient ($1027 versus $450/year, SD = 0.25) were higher in the SPRA group than the SNRA group. Quantile regression results indicated that the incremental cost of seropositivity on total medical costs of RA patients gradually increased as medical costs approached the upper quantile. The annual direct medical costs for each patient between 2012 and 2016 increased in both groups: by 25.1% in the SPRA group and 37.6% in the SNRA group. Conclusion: Annual RA-related direct medical costs and RA-related healthcare utilization per patient are higher in patients with SPRA than those with SNRA.

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Support for cigarette filter waste policies among US adults

Tobacco Control ◽

10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2020-056451 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. tobaccocontrol-2020-056451

Author(s):

Minal Patel ◽

Alison F Cuccia ◽

Shanell Folger ◽

Adam F Benson ◽

Donna Vallone ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Smoking Status ◽

Population Based ◽

Tobacco Product ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Cigarette Filter ◽

Logistic Regression Models ◽

Knowledge And Beliefs ◽

Cigarette Butts ◽

Using Data ◽

The Impact

IntroductionLittle is known on whether cigarette filter-related knowledge or beliefs are associated with support for policies to reduce their environmental impact.MethodsA cross-sectional, population-based sample of US adults aged 18–64 years (n=2979) was used to evaluate filter-related knowledge and beliefs by smoking status using data collected between 24 October 2018 and 17 December 2018. Multivariate logistic regression models explored whether these knowledge and belief items were associated with support for two policies, a US$0.75 litter fee and a ban on sales of filtered cigarettes, controlling for demographic characteristics and smoking status.ResultsRegardless of smoking status, 71% did not know plastic was a cigarette filter component and 20% believed filters were biodegradable. Overall, 23% believed filters reduce health harms and 60% believed filters make it easier to smoke; 90% believed cigarette butts are harmful to the environment. Individuals believing cigarette butts harmed the environment were more likely to support a litter fee (adjusted OR (aOR)=2.33, 95% CI: 1.71 to 3.17). Individuals believing that filters are not biodegradable had higher odds of supporting a litter fee (OR=1.47, 95% CI: 1.15 to 1.88). Respondents believing that filters do not make cigarettes less harmful were more likely to support a litter fee (aOR=1.50, 95% CI: 1.20 to 1.88) and filter ban (aOR=2.03, 95% CI: 1.64 to 2.50). Belief that filters make it easier to smoke was associated with decreased support for a filter ban (aOR=0.69, 95% CI: 0.58 to 0.83).ConclusionsComprehensive efforts are needed to educate the public about the impact of cigarette filters in order to build support for effective tobacco product waste policy.

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