Epidemiology and outcome of new-onset atrial fibrillation in the medical intensive care unit

Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Mortality of New-Onset Atrial Fibrillation in Mechanically Ventilated Critically Ill Patients

Background/Objectives: Critically ill patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) frequently develop new-onset atrial fibrillation (NOAF) due to numerous risk factors. While NOAF has been associated with increased mortality, it remains unclear whether it serves merely as a marker of illness severity or directly contributes to adverse outcome. This study aimed to determine the incidence and risk factors for NOAF in a homogenized population of mechanically ventilated patients at ICU admission, excluding well-established predisposing factors. Additionally, we examined the impact of NOAF on mortality in this context. Methods: We prospectively studied consecutive patients over a 3-year period to identify triggers for NOAF. Factors associated with 30-day mortality during the ICU stay were recorded. Demographic data, medical history, laboratory findings, and the severity of illness at admission were compared between patients who developed NOAF and those remaining in sinus rhythm. In NOAF patients, the course of atrial fibrillation (resolution, persistence, or recurrence) was evaluated during the 30-day ICU stay. Results: Of the 1330 patients screened, 685 were eligible for analysis, with 110 (16.1%) developing NOAF. Septic episodes occurred more frequently in the NOAF group compared to the no-NOAF group (92.7% vs. 58.1%, p < 0.001). Notably, 80% of NOAF patients developed a septic episode concurrently with the atrial fibrillation, often stemming from secondary infections, and 85.3% presented with septic shock. When focusing on patients with at least one septic episode during the 30-day ICU stay, 23.4% of them developed NOAF. Additionally, patients with NOAF were older and had a higher prevalence of hypertension; disease severity at admission was not a triggering factor. Mainly sepsis, but also advanced age, and a history of hypertension remained independent factors associated with its occurrence. Sepsis, primarily, along with advanced age and a history of hypertension, was identified as independent factors associated with the occurrence of NOAF. Mortality was higher in the NOAF group compared to the control group (39 patients (35.5%) vs. 138 patients (24%), p = 0.01). NOAF occurrence, sepsis, disease severity at admission, and age were associated with increased ICU mortality; however, NOAF was not found to be an independent predictor of ICU mortality in multivariate analysis. Instead, sepsis, age, and disease severity at admission remained independent predictors of 30-day mortality. Sinus rhythm was restored in 60.9% of NOAF patients within 48 h, with the improvement or stabilization of sepsis being crucial for rhythm restoration. Conclusions: NOAF is a common complication in intubated ICU patients and is independently associated with sepsis, advanced age, and hypertension. While NOAF is linked to increased ICU mortality, it is more likely a marker of disease severity than a direct cause of death. Sepsis improvement appears critical for restoring and maintaining sinus rhythm.

Agreement between manual and automatic ultrasound measurement of the velocity-time integral in the left ventricular outflow tract in intensive care patients: evaluation of the AUTO-VTI® tool

Transthoracic echocardiography is widely used in intensive care unit (ICU) to manage patients with acute circulatory failure. Recently, automated ultrasound (US) measurement applications have been developed but their clinical performance has not been evaluated yet. The aim of this study was to assess the agreement between automated and manual measurements of the velocity-time integral in the left ventricular outflow tract (VTI-LVOT) using the auto-VTI® tool. This prospective, single-center, interventional study included ICU patients with acute circulatory failure. The examination involved two successive manual measurements of VTI-LVOT (mean of 3 consecutive heartbeats in regular sinus rhythm, and 5 heartbeats in irregular rhythm), followed by a measurement using auto-VTI® software. In patients receiving a fluid challenge, trending ability in detecting fluid responsiveness was also evaluated. Seventy patients were included between January 19, 2020, and September 24, 2020, at the Nîmes University Hospital. The feasibility of the auto-VTI® was 94%. The mean difference between the two methods was 11% with limits of agreement from - 19% to 42%. The proportion of agreement at the 15% difference threshold was 68% [58%; 80%]. The precision and least significant change measured for the manual measurement of VTI were 7.4 and 10.5%, respectively, and by inference for the automated method 28% and 40%. The new auto-VTI® tool, despite interesting feasibility, demonstrated an insufficient agreement with a systematic bias and an insufficient precision limiting its implementation in critically ill patients.Clinical trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04360304.

Independent effects of the glucose-to-glycated hemoglobin ratio on mortality in critically ill patients with atrial fibrillation

BACKGROUND

The glucose-to-glycated hemoglobin ratio (GAR) represents stress hyperglycemia, which has been closely associated with adverse outcomes in cardio-cerebrovascular diseases. No studies have examined the association between stress hyperglycemia and atrial fibrillation (AF) in critically ill patients. This study aims to explore the relationship between GAR and the prognosis of critically ill patients with AF.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort of patients was selected from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV (MIMIC-IV) database. The GAR was calculated based on fasting blood glucose and glycated hemoglobin levels measured after admission. The primary outcome was the 30-day mortality rate, with secondary outcomes being the 90-day and 365-day mortality rates. The GAR was divided into tertiles, and Kaplan-Meier analysis was employed to compare differences in mortality rates between groups. The Cox proportional hazards model and restricted cubic splines (RCS) were utilized to evaluate the relationship between the GAR and mortality. Subsequently, a segmented regression model was constructed to analyze threshold effects in cases where nonlinear relationships were determined.

RESULTS

In this cohort, the second tertile of the GAR exhibited lower mortality rates at 30 days (10.56% vs 6.33% vs 14.51%), 90 days (17.11% vs 10.09% vs 17.88%), and 365 days (25.30% vs 16.15% vs 22.72%). In the third tertile, the risk of mortality at 30 days increased by 165% (HR = 2.65, 95% CI 1.99-3.54, p < 0.001), at 90 days increased by 113% (HR = 2.13, 95% CI 1.68-2.70, p < 0.001), and at 365 days increased by 70% (HR = 1.70, 95% CI 1.68-2.70, p < 0.001). The association between the GAR and patient mortality demonstrated a "J-shaped" non-linear correlation. Once the GAR exceeded 15.915, each incremental unit increase in the ratio was associated with a 27.2% increase in the risk of 30-day mortality in critically ill atrial fibrillation patients (HR = 1.262, 95% CI 1.214-1.333, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

The GAR is associated with both short-term and long-term mortality in critically ill patients with AF in a J-shaped relationship. Both low and excessively high GAR values indicate poor prognosis.

New-Onset Atrial Fibrillation in the Critically Ill COVID-19 Patients Hospitalized in the Intensive Care Unit

New-onset atrial fibrillation (NOAF) is the most frequently encountered cardiac arrhythmia observed in patients with COVID-19 infection, particularly in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) patients. The purpose of the present review is to delve into the occurrence of NOAF in COVID-19 and thoroughly review recent, pertinent data. However, the causality behind this connection has yet to be thoroughly explored. The proposed mechanisms that could contribute to the development of AF in these patients include myocardial damage resulting from direct virus-induced cardiac injury, potentially leading to perimyocarditis; a cytokine crisis and heightened inflammatory response; hypoxemia due to acute respiratory distress; disturbances in acid-base and electrolyte levels; as well as the frequent use of adrenergic drugs in critically ill patients. Additionally, secondary bacterial sepsis and septic shock have been suggested as primary causes of NOAF in ICU patients. This notion gains strength from the observation of a similar prevalence of NOAF in septic non-COVID ICU patients with ARDS. It is plausible that both myocardial involvement from SARS-CoV-2 and secondary sepsis play pivotal roles in the onset of arrhythmia in ICU patients. Nonetheless, there exists a significant variation in the prevalence of NOAF among studies focused on severe COVID-19 cases with ARDS. This discrepancy could be attributed to the inclusion of mixed populations with varying degrees of illness severity, encompassing not only patients in general wards but also those admitted to the ICU, whether intubated or not. Furthermore, the occurrence of NOAF is linked to increased morbidity and mortality. However, it remains to be determined whether NOAF independently influences outcomes in critically ill COVID-19 ICU patients or if it merely reflects the disease's severity. Lastly, the management of NOAF in these patients has not been extensively studied. Nevertheless, the current guidelines for NOAF in non-COVID ICU patients appear to be effective, while accounting for the specific drugs used in COVID-19 treatment that may prolong the QT interval (although drugs like lopinavir/ritonavir, hydrochlorothiazide, and azithromycin have been discontinued) or induce bradycardia (e.g., remdesivir).

Does Atrial Fibrillation Deteriorate the Prognosis in Patients With Septic or Cardiogenic Shock?

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with increased risk of mortality in various clinical conditions. However, the prognostic role of preexisting and new-onset AF in critically ill patients, such as patients with septic or cardiogenic shock remains unclear. This study investigates the prognostic impact of preexisting and new-onset AF on 30-day all-cause mortality in patients with septic or cardiogenic shock. Consecutive patients with sepsis, or septic or cardiogenic shock were enrolled in 2 prospective, monocentric registries from 2019 to 2021. Statistical analyses included Kaplan-Meier, multivariable logistic, and Cox proportional regression analyses. In total, 644 patients were included (cardiogenic shock: n = 273; sepsis/septic shock: n = 361). The prevalence of AF was 41% (29% with preexisting AF, 12% with new-onset AF). Within the entire study cohort, neither preexisting AF (log-rank p = 0.542; hazard ratio [HR] 1.075, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.848 to 1.363, p = 0.551) nor new-onset AF (log-rank p = 0.782, HR = 0.957, 95% CI 0.683 to 1.340, p = 0.797) were associated with 30-day all-cause mortality compared with non-AF. In patients with AF, ventricular rates >120 beats/min compared with ≤120 beats/min were shown to increase the risk of reaching the primary end point in AF patients with cardiogenic shock (log-rank p = 0.006, HR 1.886, 95% CI 1.164 to 3.057, p = 0.010). Furthermore, logistic regression analyses suggested increased age was the only predictor of new-onset AF (odds ratio 1.042, 95% CI 1.018 to 1.066, p = 0.001). In conclusion, neither the presence of preexisting AF nor the occurrence of new-onset AF was associated with the risk of 30-day all-cause mortality in consecutive patients admitted with cardiogenic shock.

Atrial Fibrillation (AFIB) in the ICU: Incidence, Risk Factors, and Outcomes: The International AFIB-ICU Cohort Study

OBJECTIVES

To assess the incidence, risk factors, and outcomes of atrial fibrillation (AF) in the ICU and to describe current practice in the management of AF.

DESIGN

Multicenter, prospective, inception cohort study.

SETTING

Forty-four ICUs in 12 countries in four geographical regions.

SUBJECTS

Adult, acutely admitted ICU patients without a history of persistent/permanent AF or recent cardiac surgery were enrolled; inception periods were from October 2020 to June 2021.

INTERVENTIONS

None.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

We included 1,423 ICU patients and analyzed 1,415 (99.4%), among whom 221 patients had 539 episodes of AF. Most (59%) episodes were diagnosed with continuous electrocardiogram monitoring. The incidence of AF was 15.6% (95% CI, 13.8-17.6), of which newly developed AF was 13.3% (11.5-15.1). A history of arterial hypertension, paroxysmal AF, sepsis, or high disease severity at ICU admission was associated with AF. Used interventions to manage AF were fluid bolus 19% (95% CI 16-23), magnesium 16% (13-20), potassium 15% (12-19), amiodarone 51% (47-55), beta-1 selective blockers 34% (30-38), calcium channel blockers 4% (2-6), digoxin 16% (12-19), and direct current cardioversion in 4% (2-6). Patients with AF had more ischemic, thromboembolic (13.6% vs 7.9%), and severe bleeding events (5.9% vs 2.1%), and higher mortality (41.2% vs 25.2%) than those without AF. The adjusted cause-specific hazard ratio for 90-day mortality by AF was 1.38 (95% CI, 0.95-1.99).

CONCLUSIONS

In ICU patients, AF occurred in one of six and was associated with different conditions. AF was associated with worse outcomes while not statistically significantly associated with 90-day mortality in the adjusted analyses. We observed variations in the diagnostic and management strategies for AF.

Association of Mitral Regurgitation with Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation in Critically Ill Noncardiac Surgery Patients: A Prospective Cohort Study

Purpose

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is common in critically ill patients and can have serious consequences. Postoperative AF (POAF) in critically ill patients following noncardiac surgery has been understudied, contrary to cardiac procedures. Mitral regurgitation (MR) is associated with left ventricular dysfunction, which might contribute to the occurrence of AF in postoperative critically ill patients. This study aimed to investigate the association between MR and POAF in critically ill noncardiac surgery patients and establish a new nomogram for the prediction of POAF in critically ill noncardiac surgery patients.

Patients and Methods

A prospective cohort of 2474 patients who underwent thoracic and general surgery was enrolled in this study. Data on preoperative transthoracic echocardiography (TTE), electrocardiogram (ECG), and several commonly utilized scoring systems (CHA2DS2-VASc, HATCH, COM-AF, HART, and C2HEST) and baseline clinical data were collected. Independent predictors were selected by univariate and multivariable logistic regression analysis, and a nomogram was constructed for POAF within 7 days after postoperative intensive care unit (ICU) admission. The ability of the MR-nomogram and other scoring systems to predict POAF was compared by receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis and decision curve analysis (DCA). Additional contributions were evaluated by integrated discrimination improvement (IDI) and net reclassification improvement (NRI) analysis.

Results

A total of 213 (8.6%) patients developed POAF within 7 days after ICU admission. Compared to CHA2DS2-VASc, HATCH, COM-AF, HART, and C2HEST scoring systems, MR-nomogram showed better predictive ability for POAF with an area under the ROC curve of 0.824 (95% confidence interval: 0.805-0.842, p < 0.001). The improvement of the MR-nomogram in predictive value was supported by NRI and IDI analysis. The net benefit of the MR nomogram was maximal in DCA.

Conclusion

MR is an independent risk factor of POAF in critically ill noncardiac surgery patients. The nomogram predicted POAF better than other scoring systems.

Increased long-term mortality following new-onset atrial fibrillation in the intensive care unit: A systematic review and meta-analysis

PURPOSE

We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate the long-term outcomes of patients who develop new-onset atrial fibrillation (NOAF) during an intensive care unit (ICU) admission.

METHODS

We searched the MEDLINE and EMBASE databases from 2000 to 2022. We included studies of adults based in general ICUs that evaluated long-term outcomes (at least 30 days after hospital discharge) of NOAF. We excluded studies involving patients with a history of atrial fibrillation (AF). We performed risk of bias assessment of the included studies based on a modified Newcastle Ottawa score (NOS). We extracted summary data for long-term outcomes. Where the outcome was reported in three or more studies we pooled effect sizes.

RESULTS

We screened 2206 studies and included 15 studies reporting data from 561,797 patients. Pooled analysis of 4 studies using a random effects model revealed an association between NOAF acquired in an ICU and 90-day mortality (including ICU and hospital mortality) (RR 1.53, 95% CI 1.12-2.08). We also found an association between NOAF and 1-year mortality from 7 studies (RR 1.79, 95% CI 1.65-1.96), which remained when analysing 1-year mortality in hospital survivors (RR 1.72 (95% CI 1.49-1.98).

CONCLUSIONS

In patients who develop NOAF in an ICU, both 90-day and 1-year mortality are increased in comparison to those who do not develop NOAF. Current evidence suggests an increased risk of thromboembolic events after hospital discharge in patients who develop NOAF in an ICU.

Quantifying deep neural network uncertainty for atrial fibrillation detection with limited labels

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia found in the intensive care unit (ICU), and is associated with many adverse outcomes. Effective handling of AF and similar arrhythmias is a vital part of modern critical care, but obtaining knowledge about both disease burden and effective interventions often requires costly clinical trials. A wealth of continuous, high frequency physiological data such as the waveforms derived from electrocardiogram telemetry are promising sources for enriching clinical research. Automated detection using machine learning and in particular deep learning has been explored as a solution for processing these data. However, a lack of labels, increased presence of noise, and inability to assess the quality and trustworthiness of many machine learning model predictions pose challenges to interpretation. In this work, we propose an approach for training deep AF models on limited, noisy data and report uncertainty in their predictions. Using techniques from the fields of weakly supervised learning, we leverage a surrogate model trained on non-ICU data to create imperfect labels for a large ICU telemetry dataset. We combine these weak labels with techniques to estimate model uncertainty without the need for extensive human data annotation. AF detection models trained using this process demonstrated higher classification performance (0.64-0.67 F1 score) and improved calibration (0.05-0.07 expected calibration error).

Underestimated Ischemic Heart Disease in Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events after Septicemia Discharge

Background and Objectives: Sepsis increases cardiovascular disease and causes death. Ischemic heart disease (IHD) without acute myocardial infarction has been discussed less, and the relationship between risk factors and IHD in septicemia survivors within six months is worthy of in-depth study. Our study demonstrated the incidence of IHD and the possible risk factors for IHD in septicemia patients within six months. Materials and Methods: An inpatient dataset of the Taiwanese Longitudinal Health Insurance Database between 2001 and 2003 was used. The events were defined as rehospitalization of stroke and IHD after discharge or death within six months after the first septicemia hospitalization. The relative factors of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) and IHD were identified by multivariate Cox proportional regression. Results: There were 4323 septicemia survivors and 404 (9.3%) IHD. New-onset atrial fibrillation had a hazard ratio (HR) of 1.705 (95% confidence interval (C.I.): 1.156–2.516) for MACEs and carried a 184% risk with HR 2.836 (95% C.I.: 1.725–4.665) for IHD by adjusted area and other risk factors. Conclusions: This study explored advanced-aged patients who experienced more severe septicemia with new-onset atrial fibrillation, which increases the incidence of IHD in MACEs within six months of septicemia. Therefore, healthcare providers must identify patients with a higher IHD risk and modify risk factors beforehand.

A Retrospective Observational Study of Anticoagulation Practices in Critically ill Patients with Atrial Fibrillation Admitted to the Intensive Care Unit

BACKGROUND

Atrial Fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia in critically ill patients. AF precipitates thromboembolic (TE) events. International guidelines recommend long-term anticoagulation for AF patients dependent upon the risk of TE versus major bleeding events. The CHA₂DS₂VASc and HAS-BLED scores are used to calculate these risks, but have not been validated in intensive care. Little is known about the risk/benefit ratio of prescribing anticoagulation to patients with AF in the intensive care setting.

METHODS

This observational study included patients who were admitted to intensive care and had AF episodes during admission. We aimed to 1) describe the anticoagulation strategies used in critically ill patients with AF, 2) determine the percentage of patients who received guideline-compliant anticoagulation and 3) compare anticoagulation strategies in patients with new onset AF (NOAF) and known AF. Demographic data was extracted from electronic health records. Therapeutic anticoagulation prescribed during AF episodes and outcomes were collected. CHA₂DS₂VASc and HAS-BLED scores were calculated and correlated with TE and bleeding events.

RESULTS

The incidence of AF in our cohort was 13.8%. Anticoagulation was administered in 34.0% of patients. Anticoagulation use did not affect morbidity or mortality outcomes. Patients with pre-existing AF were anticoagulated more often compared to patients with NOAF. CHA₂DS₂VASc scores and TE events, and HAS-BLED scores and bleeding events did not correlate well.

CONCLUSION

AF is common in critical care. Current guidelines on anticoagulation in AF may not be directly transferable to the critical care setting.

Management of acute atrial fibrillation in the intensive care unit: An international survey

BACKGROUND

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is common in intensive care unit (ICU) patients and is associated with poor outcomes. Different management strategies exist, but the evidence is limited and derived from non-ICU patients. This international survey of ICU doctors evaluated the preferred management of acute AF in ICU patients.

METHOD

We conducted an international online survey of ICU doctors with 27 questions about the preferred management of acute AF in the ICU, including antiarrhythmic therapy in hemodynamically stable and unstable patients and use of anticoagulant therapy.

RESULTS

A total of 910 respondents from 70 ICUs in 14 countries participated in the survey with 24%-100% of doctors from sites responding. Most ICUs (80%) did not have a local guideline for the management of acute AF. The preferred first-line strategy for the management of hemodynamically stable patients with acute AF was observation (95% of respondents), rhythm control (3%), or rate control (2%). For hemodynamically unstable patients, the preferred strategy was observation (48%), rhythm control (48%), or rate control (4%). Overall, preferred antiarrhythmic interventions included amiodarone, direct current cardioversion, beta-blockers other than sotalol, and magnesium in that order. A total of 67% preferred using anticoagulant therapy in ICU patients with AF, among whom 61% preferred therapeutic dose anticoagulants and 39% prophylactic dose anticoagulants.

CONCLUSION

This international survey indicated considerable practice variation among ICU doctors in the clinical management of acute AF, including the overall management strategies and the use of antiarrhythmic interventions and anticoagulants.

Meta-Analysis of New-Onset Atrial Fibrillation Versus No History of Atrial Fibrillation in Patients With Noncardiac Critical Care Illness

The incidence of new-onset secondary atrial fibrillation (NOSAF) is as high as 44% in noncardiac critical illness. A systematic review and meta-analysis were performed to evaluate the impact of NOSAF, compared with history of prior atrial fibrillation (AF) and no history of AF in noncardiac critically ill patients. Patients undergoing cardiothoracic surgery were excluded. NOSAF incidence, intensive care unit (ICU)/hospital length of stay (LOS), and mortality outcomes were analyzed. Of 2,360 studies reviewed, 19 studies met inclusion criteria (n = 306,805 patients). NOSAF compared with no history of AF was associated with increased in-hospital mortality (risk ratio [RR] 2.06, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.76 to 2.41, p <0.001), longer ICU LOS (standardized difference in means [SMD] 0.66, 95% CI 0.41 to 0.91, p <0.001), longer hospital LOS (SMD 0.31, 95% CI 0.07 to 0.56, p = 0.001) and increased risk of long-term (>1 year) mortality (RR 1.76, 95% CI 1.29 to 2.40, p <0.001). NOSAF compared with previous AF was also associated with higher in-hospital mortality (RR 1.29, 95% CI 1.12 to 1.49, p <0.001), longer ICU LOS (SMD 0.37, 95% CI 0.03 to 0.70, p = 0.03) but no difference in-hospital LOS (SMD -0.18, 95% CI -0.66 to 0.31, p = 0.47). In conclusion, NOSAF, in the setting of noncardiac critical illness is associated with increased in-hospital mortality compared with no history of AF and previous AF. NOSAF (vs no history of AF) is also associated with increased long-term mortality.

Atrial fibrillation in critically ill patients who received prolonged mechanical ventilation: a nationwide inpatient report

BACKGROUND/AIMS

To evaluate temporal trends of atrial fibrillation (AF) prevalence in critically ill patients who received prolonged mechanical ventilation (MV) in the United States.

METHODS

We used the 2008 to 2014 National Inpatient Sample to compute the weighted prevalence of AF among hospitalized adult patients on prolonged MV. We used multivariable-adjusted models to evaluate the association of AF with clinical factors, in-hospital mortality, hospitalization cost, and length of stay (LOS).

RESULTS

We identified 2,578,165 patients who received prolonged MV (21.27% of AF patients). The prevalence of AF increased from 14.63% in 2008 to 24.43% in 2014 (p for trend < 0.0001). Amongst different phenotypes of critically ill patients, the prevalence of AF increased in patients with severe sepsis, asthma exacerbation, congestive heart failure exacerbation, acute stroke, and cardiac arrest. Older age, male sex, white race, medicare access, higher income, urban teaching hospital setting, and Western region were associated with a higher prevalence of AF. AF in critical illness was a risk factor for in-hospital death (odds ratio, 1.13; 95% confidence interval, 1.11 to 1.15), but in-hospital mortality in critically ill patients with AF decreased from 11.6% to 8.3%. AF was linked to prolonged LOS (2%, p < 0.0001) and high hospitalization cost (4%, p < 0.0001). LOS (-1%, p < 0.0001) and hospitalization cost (-4%, p < 0.0001) decreased yearly.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of comorbid AF is increasing, particularly in older patients. AF may lead to poorer prognosis, and high-quality intensive care is imperative for this population.

New-onset atrial fibrillation in critically ill patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)

Background

Mortality in critically ill patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is high, therefore, it is essential to evaluate the independent effect of new-onset atrial fibrillation (NOAF) on mortality in patients with COVID-19. We aimed to determine the incidence, risk factors, and outcomes of NOAF in a cohort of critically ill patients with COVID-19.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective study on patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) with a diagnosis of COVID-19. NOAF was defined as atrial fibrillation that was detected after diagnosis of COVID-19 without a prior history. The primary outcome of the study was the effect of NOAF on mortality in critically ill COVID-19 patients.

Results

NOAF incidence was 14.9% (n = 37), and 78% of patients (n = 29) were men in NOAF positive group. Median age of the NOAF group was 79.0 (interquartile range, 71.5-84.0). Hospital mortality was higher in the NOAF group (87% vs 67%, respectively, P = .019). However, in multivariate analysis, NOAF was not an independent risk factor for hospital mortality (OR 1.42, 95% CI 0.40-5.09, P = .582).

Conclusions

The incidence of NOAF was 14.9% in critically ill COVID-19 patients. Hospital mortality was higher in the NOAF group. However, NOAF was not an independent risk factor for hospital mortality in patients with COVID-19.

New-onset atrial fibrillation in critically ill acute kidney injury patients on renal replacement therapy

Aims

The effect of new-onset atrial fibrillation (NOAF) on mortality in critically ill patients with acute kidney injury (AKI) treated in the intensive care unit (ICU) requiring continuous veno-venous haemodialysis (CVVHD) or intermittent haemodialysis (IHD) is unknown. Thus, we examined the incidence of NOAF in critically ill AKI patients undergoing CVVHD or IHD and the association between the timing of NOAF incidence in relation to renal replacement therapy (RRT) initiation and 1-year mortality.

Methods and results

Out of the 733 consecutively recruited ICU patients requiring RRT within the study period of 2010–2019, 516 patients without prior atrial fibrillation history were included in this retrospective study. Clinical comorbidities, medications and biochemistry as well as outcome data for 1-year all-cause mortality were recorded. Episodes of NOAF were collected from the pooled rhythm data covering the entire ICU stay of every patient. The median age was 64 (inter-quartile range 19) years, 165 (32%) were female, and 356 and 160 patients received CVVHD and IHD, respectively. NOAF was observed in 190 (37%) patients during ICU care and 217 (42%) patients died within the 1-year follow-up. Incident NOAF was independently associated with 1-year mortality in the multivariable logistic regression analysis after adjusting for dialysis modality, need for mechanical ventilation or vasopressor support and Acute Physiology And Chronic Health Evaluation II score. However, NOAF diagnosed after RRT initiation was not associated with mortality.

Conclusion

NOAF emerging before RRT initiation is associated with increased mortality in critically ill AKI patients requiring RRT. However, NOAF during RRT does not seem to be associated with mortality.

New-onset atrial fibrillation incidence and associated outcomes in the medical intensive care unit

BACKGROUND

In patients with critical medical illness, data regarding new-onset atrial fibrillation (NOAF) is relatively sparse. This study examines the incidence, associated risk factors, and associated outcomes of NOAF in patients in the medical intensive care unit (MICU).

METHODS

This single-center retrospective observational cohort study included 2234 patients with MICU stays in 2018. An automated extraction process using ICD-10 codes, validated by a 196-patient manual chart review, was used for data collection. Demographics, medications, and risk factors were collected. Multiple risk scores were calculated for each patient, and AF recurrence was also manually extracted. Length of stay, mortality, and new stroke were primary recorded outcomes.

RESULTS

Two hundred and forty one patients of the 2234 patient cohort (11.4%) developed NOAF during their MICU stay. NOAF was associated with greater length of stay in the MICU (5.84 vs. 3.52 days, p < .001) and in the hospital (15.7 vs. 10.9 days, p < .001). Patients with NOAF had greater odds of hospital mortality (odds ratio (OR) = 1.92, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.34-2.71, p < .001) and 1-year mortality (OR = 1.37, 95% CI 1.02-1.82, p = .03). CHARGE-AF scores performed best in predicting NOAF (area under the curve (AUC) 0.691, p < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

The incidence of NOAF in this MICU cohort was 11.4%, and NOAF was associated with a significant increase in hospital LOS and mortality. Furthermore, the CHARGE-AF score performed best in predicting NOAF.

Cardiac arrhythmias in critically ill patients with coronavirus disease 2019: A retrospective population-based cohort study

BACKGROUND

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may be associated with cardiac arrhythmias in hospitalized patients, but data from the ICU setting are limited. We aimed to describe the epidemiology of cardiac arrhythmias in ICU patients with COVID-19.

METHODS

We conducted a multicenter, retrospective cohort study including all ICU patients with an airway sample positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome corona-virus 2 from March 1st to June 1st in the Capital Region of Denmark (1.8 million inhabitants). We registered cardiac arrhythmias in ICU, potential risk factors, interventions used in ICU and outcomes.

RESULTS

From the seven ICUs we included 155 patients with COVID-19. The incidence of cardiac arrhythmias in the ICU was 57/155 (37%, 95% confidence interval 30-45), and 39/57 (68%) of these patients had this as new-onset arrhythmia. Previous history of tachyarrhythmias and higher disease severity at ICU admission were associated with cardiac arrhythmias in the adjusted analysis. Fifty-four of the 57 (95%) patients had supraventricular origin of the arrhythmia, 39/57 (68%) received at least one intervention against arrhythmia (eg amiodarone, IV fluid or magnesium) and 38/57 (67%) had recurrent episodes of arrhythmia in ICU. Patients with arrhythmias in ICU had higher 60-day mortality (63%) as compared to those without arrhythmias (39%).

CONCLUSION

New-onset supraventricular arrhythmias were frequent in ICU patients with COVID-19 and were related to previous history of tachyarrhythmias and severity of the acute disease. The mortality was high in these patients despite the frequent use of interventions against arrhythmias.

Development of atrial fibrillation following trauma increases short term risk of cardiovascular events

Context:

New onset atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with poor outcomes in several different patient populations.

Objectives:

To assess the effect of developing AF on cardiovascular events such as myocardial infarction (MI) and cerebrovascular accident (CVA) during the acute index hospitalization for trauma patients.

Methods:

The Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project State Inpatient Databases for California and Florida were used to identify adult trauma patients (18 years of age or older) who were admitted between 2007 and 2010. After excluding patients with a history of AF and prior history of cardiovascular events, patients were evaluated for MI, CVA, and death during the index hospitalization. A secondary analysis was performed using matched propensity scoring based on age, race, and preexisting comorbidities.

Results:

During the study period, 1,224,828 trauma patients were admitted. A total of 195,715 patients were excluded for a prior history of AF, MI, or CVA. Of the remaining patients, 15,424 (1.5%) met inclusion criteria and had new onset AF after trauma. There was an associated increase in incidence of MI (2.9 vs. 0.7%; p<0.001), CVA (2.6 vs. 0.4%; p<0.001), and inpatient mortality (8.5 vs. 2.1%; p<0.001) during the index hospitalization in patients who developed new onset AF compared with those who did not. Cox proportional hazards regression demonstrated an increased risk of MI (odds ratio [OR], 2.35 [2.13–2.60]), CVA (OR, 3.90 [3.49–4.35]), and inpatient mortality (OR, 2.83 [2.66–3.00]) for patients with new onset AF after controlling for all other potential risk factors.

Conclusions:

New onset AF in trauma patients was associated with increased incidence of myocardial infarction (MI), cerebral vascular accident (CVA), and mortality during index hospitalization in this study.

Impact of atrial fibrillation in critically ill patients admitted to a stepdown unit

BACKGROUND

Limited data are available on the clinical course of patients with history of atrial fibrillation (AF) when admitted in an intensive care environment. We aimed to describe the occurrence of major adverse events in AF patients admitted to a stepdown care unit (SDU) and to analyse clinical factors associated with outcomes, impact of dicumarolic oral anticoagulant (OAC) therapy impact and performance of clinical risk scores in this setting.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Single-centre, observational retrospective analysis on a population of subjects with AF history admitted to a SDU. Therapeutic failure (composite of transfer to ICU or death) was considered the main study outcome. Occurrence of stroke and major bleeding (MH) was considered as secondary outcomes. The performance of clinical risk scores was evaluated.

RESULTS

A total of 1430 consecutive patients were enrolled. 194 (13.6%) reported the main outcome. Using multivariate logistic regression, age (odds ratio [OR]: 1.03, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01-1.05), acute coronary syndrome (OR:3.10, 95% CI: 1.88-5.12), cardiogenic shock (OR:10.06, 95% CI: 5.37-18.84), septic shock (OR:5.19,95%CI:3.29-18.84), acute respiratory failure (OR:2.49, 95% CI: 1.67-3.64) and OAC use (OR: 1.61, 95% CI: 1.02-2.55) were independently associated with main outcome. OAC prescription was associated with stroke risk reduction and to both MH and main outcome risk increase. CHA₂ DS₂ -VASc (c-index: 0.545, P = .117 for stroke) and HAS-BLED (c-index:0.503, P = .900 for MH) did not significantly predict events occurrence.

CONCLUSIONS

In critically ill AF patients admitted to a SDU, adverse outcomes are highly prevalent. OAC use is associated to an increased risk of therapeutic failure, clinical scores seem unhelpful in predicting stroke and MH, suggesting a highly individualized approach in AF management in this setting.

Hospital outcomes associated with new-onset atrial fibrillation during ICU admission: A multicentre competing risks analysis

PURPOSE

New onset atrial fibrillation (NOAF) in critically ill patients has been associated with increased short-term mortality. Analyses that do not take into account the time-varying nature of NOAF can underestimate its association with hospital outcomes. We investigated the prognostic association of NOAF with hospital outcomes using competing risks methods.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We undertook a retrospective cohort study in three general adult intensive care units (ICUs) in the UK from June 2008 to December 2015. We excluded patients with known prior atrial fibrillation or an arrhythmia within four hours of ICU admission. To account for the effect of NOAF on the rate of death per unit time and the rate of discharge alive per unit time we calculated subdistribution hazard ratios (SDHRs).

RESULTS

Of 7541 patients that fulfilled our inclusion criteria, 831 (11.0%) developed NOAF during their ICU admission. NOAF was associated with an increased duration of hospital stay (CSHR 0.68 (95% CI 0.63-0.73)) and an increased rate of in-hospital death per unit time (CSHR 1.57 (95% CI 1.37-1.1.81)). This resulted in a strong prognostic association with dying in hospital (adjusted SDHR 2.04 (1.79-2.32)). NOAF lasting over 30 min was associated with increased hospital mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

Using robust methods we demonstrate a stronger prognostic association between NOAF and hospital outcomes than previously reported.

Prevalence, Outcomes, and Risk Factors of New-Onset Atrial Fibrillation in Critically Ill Patients

The purpose of this article is to systematically evaluate the prevalence, outcomes, and risk factors of new-onset atrial fibrillation (AF) in critically ill patients.Medline, Embase, Science Citation Index, Wanfang, CNKI, and Wiley Online Library were thoroughly searched to identify relevant studies. Studies were assessed for methodological quality using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system. Odds ratio (OR) and weighted mean difference (WMD) with 95% confidence interval (CI) were used to assess the strength of the association. Heterogeneity, subgroup, sensitivity analyses, and publication bias were conducted.A total of 25 studies were included. The prevalence of new-onset AF ranged from 4.1% to 46%.The random-effects pooled prevalence was 10.7%. The pooled result jumped up to 35.8% in patients with septic shock. Pooled analysis showed significant associations between new-onset AF with intensive care unit (ICU) mortality and in-hospital mortality over those patients without AF (OR = 3.11; 95%CI 2.45-3.96 and OR = 1.63; 95%CI 1.27-2.08). The pooled analysis also indicated that both ICU and hospital length of stay are longer in patients with new-onset AF than those without AF (WMD = 1.87; 95%CI 0.89-2.84 and WMD = 2.73; 95%CI 0.77-4.69). Independent risk factors included increasing age, shock, sepsis, use of a pulmonary artery catheter and mechanical ventilation, fluid loading, and organ failures.New-onset AF incidence rate is high in critically ill patients. New-onset AF is associated with worse outcomes. Further studies should be done to explore how to prevent and treat new-onset AF in critically ill patients.

Risk factors and outcomes of new-onset atrial fibrillation in patients hospitalized in an internal medicine ward: a case-control study

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a frequent pathology in Internal Medicine departments. The aim of our study was to identify the risk factors associated with the development of new-onset AF during hospitalization and to evaluate its outcome as in-hospital mortality. We conducted a retrospective case-control study on a cohort of 14,179 patients admitted to an internal medicine department. We included in the study the patients who did not have an anamnestic history of AF, who presented a sinus rhythm at the time of admission and who developed a new-onset AF during hospitalization. For each of these cases, two controls were enrolled who were not affected by AF. The patients included in the study were 588, including 196 cases and 392 controls. Patients who developed AF during hospitalization had significantly more comorbidity than controls. The most frequent causes for hospitalization were sepsis, significantly higher in the case group. From the results of the multivariate analysis, the factors related independently to the development of AF were the presence of a number of comorbidities ≥ 3 (OR = 1.52; p = 0.017), sepsis as a reason of hospitalization (OR = 2, 16; p = 0.001) and glycemic value at the admission ≥ 130 mg/dL (OR = 1.44; p = 0.047). Both the length of hospital stay and in-hospital mortality were higher in the group of patients who developed AF, with a statistically significant difference compared to controls (p < 0.001).

New-onset atrial fibrillation and associated outcomes and resource use among critically ill adults-a multicenter retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

New-onset atrial fibrillation (NOAF) is commonly encountered in critically ill adults. Evidence evaluating the association between NOAF and patient-important outcomes in this population is conflicting. Furthermore, little is known regarding the association between NOAF and resource use or hospital costs.

METHODS

Retrospective analysis (2011-2016) of a prospectively collected registry from two Canadian hospitals of consecutive ICU patients aged ≥ 18 years. We excluded patients with a known history of AF prior to hospital admission. Any occurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF) was prospectively recorded by bedside nurses. The primary outcome was hospital mortality, and we used multivariable logistic regression to adjust for confounders. We used a generalized linear model to evaluate contributors to total cost.

RESULTS

We included 15,014 patients, and 1541 (10.3%) had NOAF during their ICU admission. While NOAF was not associated with increased odds of hospital death among the entire cohort (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.02 [95% confidence interval [CI] 0.97-1.08]), an interaction was noted between NOAF and sepsis, and the presence of both was associated with higher odds of hospital mortality (aOR 1.28 [95% CI 1.09-1.36]) than either alone. Patients with NOAF had higher total costs (cost ratio [CR] 1.09 [95% CI 1.02-1.20]). Among patients with NOAF, treatment with a rhythm-control strategy was associated with higher costs (CR 1.24 [95% CI 1.07-1.40]).

CONCLUSIONS

While NOAF was not associated with death or requiring discharge to long-term care among critically ill patients, it was associated with increased length of stay in ICU and increased total costs.

Does Switching Norepinephrine to Phenylephrine in Septic Shock Complicated by Atrial Fibrillation With Rapid Ventricular Response Improve Time to Rate Control?

BACKGROUND

Atrial fibrillation (AF) frequently develops during critical illness. In septic shock complicated by rapid AF, the use of phenylephrine may be advantageous secondary to its β-1 sparing properties. However, evidence supporting this strategy is lacking.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study is to determine the clinical effect on rate control of transitioning norepinephrine to phenylephrine in septic shock patients who develop AF with a rapid ventricular response (RVR).

METHODS

A single-center retrospective study of septic shock patients admitted to the medical or surgical intensive care unit (ICU) who developed AF with RVR (heart rate >110 beats per minute [bpm]). Patients who were switched to phenylephrine were compared to those who remained on norepinephrine. The primary end point was sustained achievement of rate control. A time-varying Cox proportional hazards model was used to assess the primary end point.

RESULTS

A total of 67 patients were included in the study, of which 28 were switched to phenylephrine. Baseline characteristics were similar between groups. The unadjusted hazard ratio for achieving rate control was significant at 1.99 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.19-3.34; P < .01) for the phenylephrine group. The adjusted hazard ratio was 1.75 (95% CI: 0.86-3.53; P = .12). There were no statistically significant differences in mortality or ICU length of stay.

CONCLUSION

Our study suggests a potential clinical effect on achieving rate control when switching to phenylephrine cannot be excluded. It remains unclear if there is a benefit on mortality or length of stay outcomes in critically ill patients.

Low serum albumin levels and new-onset atrial fibrillation in the ICU: a prospective cohort study

PURPOSE

The aim was to determine if a low serum albumin (SA) level was associated with the occurrence of new onset atrial fibrillation (NOAF) during the first 48 h of intensive care unit (ICU) admission.

METHODS

Overall, 97 patients admitted to the ICU were included in this prospective study. NOAF during the first 48 h was defined as irregularity and absence of p-waves on the continuous electrocardiogram, lasting longer than 2 min. Association were analysed using logistic regression with correction for confounding variables in multivariable analysis.

RESULTS

The incidence of NOAF during the first 48 h of ICU admission was 18%. SA levels at ICU admission were significantly associated with NOAF after correction for confounders (odds ratio [OR] 0.86, 95%CI 0.77-0.97, p = .010). SA levels were also significantly associated with the number of episodes of NOAF in multivariate analysis (-0.09 episodes, 95%CI [-0.15/-0.04], p = .001), but not with the presence of sinus rhythm at 48 h (OR 1.05, 95%CI [0.93-1.12], p = .46).

CONCLUSION

In this small hypothesis generating study low levels of SA were associated with the occurrence of NOAF. It remains to be shown if increasing SA levels lowers the incidence of NOAF.

New-onset atrial fibrillation in adult critically ill patients: a scoping review

PURPOSE

New-onset atrial fibrillation (NOAF) is common and associated with increased morbidity and mortality. However, its clinical importance and management in critically ill patients are not well described. The aim of this scoping review is to assess the epidemiology and management strategies of NOAF during critical illness.

METHOD

The review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA extension for scoping reviews. We searched PubMed, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library for studies assessing the incidence, outcome and management strategies of NOAF in adult critically ill patients. The quality of evidence was evaluated using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach.

RESULTS

A total of 99 studies were included, of which 79 were observational and 20 were interventional. The incidence of NOAF varied from 1.7% to 43.9% with considerable inter-population variation (very low quality of evidence). Commonly identified risk factors for NOAF included higher age, cardiovascular comorbidities and sepsis. The occurrence of NOAF was associated with adverse outcomes, including stroke, prolonged length of stay and mortality (very low quality of evidence). We found limited data on the optimal management strategy with no evidence for firm benefit or harm for any intervention (very low/low quality of evidence).

CONCLUSIONS

The definition and incidence of NOAF in critically ill patients varied considerably and many risk factors were identified. NOAF seemed to be associated with adverse outcomes, but data were very limited and current management strategies are not evidence-based.

New-onset atrial fibrillation is associated with increased mortality in critically ill patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is one of the most comorbid conditions in critically ill patients requiring intensive care unit (ICU). Multiple studies have suggested that there may be an association between new-onset AF and adverse outcome in critically ill patients. However, there are no meta-analyses to assess this association.

METHODS

Studies were systematically searched from electronic databases. Studies that examined the relationship between new-onset AF and adverse outcomes including mortality and length of stay in ICU patients were included. Studies that included patients with prior AF were excluded. The pooled effect size was calculated with a random-effect model, weighted for the inverse of variance, to determine an association between new-onset AF and in-hospital mortality. Heterogeneity was assessed with I².

RESULTS

Twelve studies were included. Pooled analysis showed statistically significant difference rate of the hospital mortality between patients with and without new-onset AF (OR 2.70; 95% CI 2.43-3.00). Subgroup analysis of only patients with sepsis or septic shock showed a significant association between new-onset AF and in-hospital mortality (OR 2.32; 95% CI 1.88-2.87). No significant heterogeneity was observed (I² = 0%) in both analyses. Pooled analysis of four studies also showed a significant association between new-onset AF and short-term mortality (OR 2.22; 95% CI 1.28-3.83) with moderate heterogeneity (I² = 67%).

CONCLUSIONS

New-onset AF is associated with worse outcome in critically ill patients. Further studies should be done to evaluate for causality and adjust for confounders.

Risk of incident atrial fibrillation after a prior critical illness: A retrospective cohort study

OBJECTIVE

This investigation aimed at assessing the issue of incident atrial fibrillation (AF) associated with acute critical illness.

METHODS

The study came from Taiwan and used that nation's Longitudinal Health Insurance Database 2000. Using propensity score matching, multivariable adjustment and competing risk methods, the correlations between the new-onset AF and critical illness (septicemia/septic shock, acute myocardial infarction【AMI】, hemorrhagic stroke and ischemic stroke) were investigated.

RESULTS

This study consisted of 46470 patients in the critical illness cohort, 618998 persons in the general population cohort. Additionally, 37,060 critically ill patients were matched with 37060 control patients based on propensity score methods. Compared with general population cohort, patients with septicemia/septic shock were 3.12-fold more likely to develop AF (95% confidence interval 【CI】 = 2.88-3.39), followed by patients with ischemic stroke (adjusted hazard ratio【aHR】 = 1.96, 95% CI = 1.80-2.14), patients with AMI (aHR = 1.62, 95% CI = 1.32-2.00) and patients with hemorrhagic stroke (aHR = 1.46, 95% CI = 1.13-1.88). In addition, after controlling for the confounding factors and the competing risk of death, the critical illness cohort still exhibited a significantly higher risk of AF than the general population cohort (adjusted subhazard ratio [aSHR] = 2.66, 95% CI = 2.49-2.84).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study explored incident AF among patients with critical illness in their medical history. Patients with septicemia/septic shock were at the highest risk of developing new-onset AF among these critically ill patients.

Predictors for sustained new-onset atrial fibrillation in critically ill patients: a retrospective observational study

PURPOSE

Although new-onset atrial fibrillation (AF) is frequently observed in the intensive care unit (ICU), the incidence and predictors for sustained new-onset AF have not been investigated, except for cardiac surgery patients. We have evaluated potential predictors for sustained new-onset AF in a mixed ICU.

METHODS

In this retrospective observational study, we screened non-cardiac surgery patients who were admitted to the ICU between January 2010 and December 2013 and had been hospitalized for > 24 h in the ICU. We collected information about heart rhythm 6 h after the onset of AF. We compared detailed patient characteristics between patients with sinus rhythm (SR) and those with sustained AF at 6 h after the onset of AF. Additionally, we applied variable selection using backward elimination based on Akaike's Information Criterion (AIC). Calibration was performed based on the Hosmer-Lemeshow test.

RESULTS

New-onset AF occurred in 151 of 1718 patients and 99 patients converted to SR at 6 h. Backward elimination identified predictors as follows (AIC = 175.3): CHADS2 score, elective surgery, infection on ICU admission, serum potassium > 4.0 mmol/L, male sex, mechanical ventilation, and diagnostic grouping. The model showed good calibration for sustenance of AF at 6 h after the onset using the Hosmer-Lemeshow Chi-square value of 4.36 (degrees of freedom = 4, p = 0.360) indicating a good fit.

CONCLUSIONS

These predictors might be useful in future interventional studies to identify patients who are likely to sustain new-onset AF.

Risk factors for new-onset atrial fibrillation on the general adult ICU: protocol for a systematic review

INTRODUCTION

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common arrhythmia in the critical care environment. New-onset AF is associated with increased mortality and intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay. Observational studies have identified several epidemiological and disease severity-related factors associated with developing new-onset AF on the ICU. However, there are limited data on the modifiable risk factors in the general adult ICU population.We describe a protocol for a systematic review of modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors for new-onset AF in the general adult ICU population. The results of this review will aid the development of risk prediction tools and inform future research into AF prevention on the ICU.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online, Excerpta Medica database and the Cochrane Library, including Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials will be searched for studies that assess the association of patient variables, investigation results, interventions and diagnoses associated with subsequent new-onset AF on the ICU.Only studies involving adult patients admitted to non-service-specific ICUs will be included. We will extract data relating to the statistical association between reversible and non-reversible factors and AF, the quality of the studies and the generalisability of the results. This systematic review will be reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

This proposed systematic review will be based on published data, and therefore ethical approval is not required. The findings of this study will be disseminated through publication in a peer reviewed journal and will be presented at conferences.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER

CRD42017074221.

Hyperuricemia is associated with atrial fibrillation prevalence in very elderly - a community based study in Chengdu, China

Hyperuricemia is a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. However, in very elderly, the relationship between hyperuricemia and the prevalence of atrial fibrillation (AF) is not clear. This study aimed to investigate hyperuricemia and the risk of AF in community very elderly. In this cross-sectional study, 1056 very elderly in community were enrolled. Serum uric acid (SUA) were measured and rest 12-lead electrocardiogram was performed. Multiple logistic regression models were used to explore risk factors for AF in very elderly. Finally, 1038 participants were included in analysis and the mean age of the study participants were 83.6 ± 3.4 years (age range 80–100 years). The mean SUA level was 350.1 ± 84.5 µmol/L. The estimated prevalence of AF was 5.3%, and there was no significant sex difference (5.8% for men and 4.8% for women, p = 0.401). Multiple logistic regression found that participants with hyperuricemia (SUA >416 µmol/L in men and >357 µmol/L in women) had a higher risk (odds ratio: 2.080, 95% confidence interval: 1.103–4.202, P = 0.007) of suffering AF in very elderly Chinese. In conclusion, AF is relatively frequent in this community very elderly Chinese in Chengdu. Hyperuricemia is associated with the prevalence of AF in general very elderly.

Risk of thromboembolism in patients developing critical illness-associated atrial fibrillation

Although common, the long-term significance of -developing atrial fibrillation (AF) during a period of critical illness is unclear. We undertook a retrospective cohort analysis to -assess the rate of thromboembolism (TE) in patients -developing atrial fibrillation de novo during admission to our intensive care unit. In total, 1,955 patients were followed up (-maximum follow-up 1,276 days) for the occurrence of TE, of which 220 (11.3%) had developed AF or atrial flutter during their critical care admission. There were 11 TE events among the patients with new AF (0.053 events per patient-year), compared with 18 in the non-AF group (0.0059 events per patient-year). The unadjusted hazard ratio for TE in patients developing new AF compared with those not developing AF was 8.09 (95% CI 3.08-17.19, p<0.001). In patients admitted to critical care, the development of AF appears to be associated with a significantly increased risk of subsequent thromboembolism.

Current practice in the management of new-onset atrial fibrillation in critically ill patients: a UK-wide survey

BACKGROUND

New-onset atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia in critically ill patients. Although evidence base and expert consensus opinion for management have been summarised in several international guidelines, no specific considerations for critically ill patients have been included. We aimed to establish current practice of management of critically ill patients with new-onset AF.

METHODS

We designed a short user-friendly online questionnaire. All members of the Intensive Care Society were invited via email containing a link to the questionnaire, which comprised 21 questions. The online survey was conducted between November 2016 and December 2016.

RESULTS

The response rate was 397/3152 (12.6%). The majority of respondents (81.1%) worked in mixed Intensive Care Units and were consultants (71.8%). Most respondents (39.5%) would start intervention on patients with fast new-onset AF and stable blood pressure at a heart rate between 120 and 139 beats/min. However, 34.8% of participants would treat all patients who developed new-onset fast AF. Amiodarone and beta-blockers (80.9% and 11.6% of answers) were the most commonly used anti-arrhythmics. A total of 63.8% of respondents do not regularly anti-coagulate critically ill patients with new-onset fast AF, while 30.8% anti-coagulate within 72 hours. A total of 68.0% of survey respondents do not routinely use stroke risk scores in critically ill patients with new-onset AF. A total of 85.4% of participants would consider taking part in a clinical trial investigating treatment of new-onset fast AF in the critically ill.

DISCUSSION

Our results suggest a considerable disparity between contemporary practice of management of new-onset AF in critical illness and treatment recommendations for the general patient population suffering from AF, particularly with regard to anti-arrhythmics and anti-coagulation used. Amongst intensivists, there is a substantial interest in research for management of new-onset AF in critically ill patients.