Students' perception of online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic: A survey study of Polish medical students

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted teaching in a variety of institutions, especially in medical schools. Electronic learning (e-learning) became the core method of teaching the curriculum during the pandemic. After 8 weeks of only online learning, a survey was conducted to investigate perception of this type of learning among medical students.A survey was conducted by distributing an online questionnaire to Polish medical students. Data gathered from the survey were analyzed with routine statistical software.Eight hundred four students answered the questionnaire. According to respondents' answers, the main advantages of online learning were the ability to stay at home (69%), continuous access to online materials (69%), learning at your own pace (64%), and comfortable surroundings (54%). The majority of respondents chose lack of interactions with patients (70%) and technical problems with IT equipment (54%) as the main disadvantages. There was no statistical difference between face-to-face and online learning in terms of opinions on the ability of the learning method to increase knowledge (P = .46). E-learning was considered less effective than face-to-face learning in terms of increasing skills (P < .001) and social competences (P < .001). Students assessed that they were less active during online classes compared to traditional classes (P < .001). E-learning was rated as enjoyable by 73% of respondents.E-learning is a powerful tool for teaching medical students. However, successful implementation of online learning into the curriculum requires a well thought-out strategy and a more active approach.

Clinical and angiographic characteristics of coronary artery disease in young adults: a single centre study

BACKGROUND

Coronary artery disease (CAD) in young adults under 40 years of age is a growing medical, social, psychological and economical problem, related to the prevalence of civilization-related diseases and unhealthy lifestyle. The problem of CAD in young people has not been characterised as well as in older individuals, as the available data mostly come from case reports and small series, often related to genetic aspects and familial occurrence of the disease.

AIM

To assess clinical and angiographic characteristics of young adults with CAD and to evaluate in-hospital and long-term mortality in this patient group. The study combined a retrospective and a prospective approach.

METHODS

A total of 239 patients aged 40 years or younger who underwent coronary angiography (CAG) in the Swietokrzyskie Centre of Cardiology in Kielce in 2001-2008 were included in this study. Demographic characteristics, risk factor profile, laboratory test results, electrocardiographic and echocardiographic findings, CAG findings, and in-hospital mortality were assessed retrospectively in the selected groups. During the second stage of the study, clinical and mortality data were obtained prospectively in 130 patients (54.4% of the study group) during up to 5 years of follow-up.

RESULTS

The mean patient age was 35.1 ± 4.4 years. Men made up 86.2% of the study sample, and the proportion of rural area residents was 54.8%. Among young patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS), the most common presentation (52.8%) was ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Angiographically normal coronary arteries were found in 37.2% of CAD patients and in 16.9% of patients with the diagnosis of ACS. The mean degree of coronary artery lumen stenosis was 75.4% in the group with significant atherosclerotic coronary lesions (50-90%) and 95.9% in the group demonstrating a critical coronary obstruction (≥ 90%). Single-vessel disease was identified in 61.9% of patients with a positive result of CAG (stenosis > 50%, CORO(+) group). The most common location of significant atherosclerotic coronary lesions was the left anterior descending artery (61.6%) followed by the right coronary artery (27.4%). The most prevalent conventional cardiovascular risk factors were lipid abnormalities, cigarette smoking and an increased body mass index ≥ 25 kg/m2, followed by a family history of CAD and hypertension. The proportion of patients with abnormal lipid profile, cigarette smoking and overweight or obesity was particularly high in the CORO(+) group (85.6%, 83.9%, and 64.4%, respectively). In-hospital mortality rate was low, at 0.7% among ACS patients. Long-term mortality during up to 5 years of follow-up was not so favourable, at 7.75% in ACS patients and 8.5% in the CORO(+) group.

CONCLUSIONS

The population of young patients with CAD is predominantly male, rural, and characterised by a low socio-economic status. The aetiology of CAD in this patient group differs significantly from that in older patients and it is often associated with an unhealthy lifestyle related to rapid civilization changes. The rates of CAD risk factors in young adults are high and the most important risk factors are dyslipidaemia, smoking, and overweight/obesity. Single vessel disease and STEMI presentation were predominant in young patients. Short-term prognosis in young ACS patients is excellent, but long-term prognosis is significantly worse. Further studies on CAD in young adults are warranted, particularly in larger patient populations.

Treatment of patients with acute coronary syndrome: Recommendations for medical emergency teams: Focus on antiplatelet therapies. Updated experts' standpoint

A group of Polish experts in cardiology and emergency medicine, encouraged by the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) guidelines, have recently published common recommendations for medical emergency teams regarding the pre-hospital management of patients with acute coronary syndrome. Due to the recent publication of the 2017 ESC guidelines for the management of acute myocardial infarction in patients presenting with ST-segment elevation and 2017 focused update on dual antiplatelet therapy in coronary artery disease the current panel of experts decided to update the previous standpoint. Moreover, new data coming from studies presented after the previous document was issued were also taken into consideration.

Oral health status and the occurrence and clinical course of myocardial infarction in hospital phase: a case-control study

BACKGROUND

Periodontitis may contribute to destabilization of atherosclerotic plaque leading to acute coronary syndrome and myocardial infarction (MI). The aim of the paper was to evaluate the state of the oral cavity and test the association between chosen parameters of acute, hospital phase MI in patients aged 60 and younger.

METHODS

We examined patients with acute MI, age 60. Control group consisted of matched group of patients with stable angina. Patients enrolled in the study underwent dental, cardiovascular and biochemical examination. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was measured during echocardiographic examination, intima-media thickness (IMT) was assessed by ultrasonographic examination at the same time.

RESULTS

The case group included 112 hospital patients with acute MI. Patients with acute MI were characterized by higher level of cardiovascular disease risk factors and poor oral health status in comparison to the control group. There was higher prevalence of edentulousness (p = 0.0039) and advanced periodontal disease (APD) (p < 0.0001) in the case group than in the control group. Patients with edentulousness and APD were characterized by the highest levels of fi brinogen, interleukine-6, tumor necrosis factor-a, increased IMT and numerous atherosclerotic plaques. Logistic regression analysis revealed association between biomarkers of myocardial injury, LVEF and chosen periodontal parameter (API, CAL, PDI, BI) and edentulousness.

CONCLUSIONS

Poor oral health status, especially periodontal disease may infl uence on the occurrence and clinical course of MI.

Antithrombotic therapy in patients with atrial fibrillation undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention, including compliance with current guidelines-data from the POLish Atrial Fibrillation (POL-AF) Registry

BACKGROUND

Although triple antithrombotic therapy (TAT) is recommended in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), guidelines allow an option of dual antithrombotic therapy (DAT). This study assesses the everyday practice of 10 cardiology departments in antithrombotic therapy in AF patients undergoing PCI and its agreement with current guidelines.

METHODS

This analysis included medical data of AF patients enrolled in the prospective, observational registry (The POLish Atrial Fibrillation-POL-AF) that underwent PCI [elective or due to acute coronary syndrome (ACS)].

RESULTS

Of the 3,999 consecutive subjects included, a final analysis was performed on 359 patients that underwent PCI: 148 with urgent PCI due to ACSand 211 patients with elective PCI. Eighty patients in the ACS-group and 120 patients in the elective-PCI group were treated with TAT, although guidelines also allowed DAT. Of 316 patients treated with oral anticoagulants as a part of combination therapy, 275 were on non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant (NOAC). Reduced doses of NOAC were used in 74 patients treated with rivaroxaban, 60 patients with dabigatran, and 54 patients with apixaban. The proportion of patients treated with reduced NOAC doses adequately to the guidelines was 29%, 100%, and 33% for rivaroxaban, dabigatran, and apixaban, respectively. Inappropriate low doses of NOACs were used in 71% of subjects on rivaroxaban and 67% on apixaban.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with AF undergoing PCI, NOACs are definitely preferred over vitamin-K antagonists (VKAs) in TAT/DAT, and an aggressive antithrombotic strategy with TAT is frequently chosen even if DAT is permissible by the guidelines. Label adherence of using reduced NOAC dose during combination therapy is not satisfactory for apixaban and rivaroxaban and probably results from too cautious an approach to the known indications for reduced therapy. The study is registered in the database Clinical Trials-NCT04419012.

Retinal Artery Occlusion and Its Impact on the Incidence of Stroke, Myocardial Infarction, and All-Cause Mortality during 12-Year Follow-Up

The aim of the study was to evaluate the incidence of ischemic stroke, myocardial infarction, and all-cause mortality in patients with retinal artery occlusion (RAO). This single-center retrospective study included 139 patients diagnosed with RAO between 2009 and 2020. The control group included 139 age- and sex-matched patients without RAO who underwent cataract surgery. The year of the surgery corresponded to the year of RAO onset. During the 12-year follow-up, patients with RAO had a shorter time to death (49.95 vs. 15.74 months; p = 0.043), a higher all-cause mortality rate (log-rank p = 0.026, and a higher rate of the composite endpoint, including ischemic stroke, myocardial infarction, and all-cause mortality (log-rank p = 0.024), as compared with controls. Patients with RAO younger than 75 years showed a higher risk of cerebral ischemic stroke (log-rank p = 0.008), all-cause mortality (log-rank p = 0.023), and the composite endpoint (log-rank p = 0.001) than controls. However, these associations were not demonstrated for patients aged 75 years or older. Our study confirms that patients with RAO have a higher risk of all-cause mortality than those without RAO. Moreover, patients with RAO who are younger than 75 years are significantly more likely to experience ischemic stroke, death, or the composite endpoint after an occlusion event, as compared with individuals without RAO.

The prognostic value of soluble suppression of tumourigenicity 2 and galectin-3 for sinus rhythm maintenance after cardioversion due to persistent atrial fibrillation in patients with normal left ventricular systolic function

AIMS

Soluble suppression of tumourigenicity 2 (sST2) and galectin-3 are involved in cardiac fibrosis, inflammation, and remodelling. However, the place of sST2 and galectin-3 in predicting the outcomes of electrical cardioversion of atrial fibrillation (AF) is uncertain. We evaluated whether these biomarkers could predict sinus rhythm (SR) maintenance after cardioversion of persistent AF in patients with normal left ventricular systolic function.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The study included 80 patients with persistent AF, who underwent cardioversion from February 2016 to August 2018. The blood concentrations of sST-2 and galectin-3 were measured with ELISA and the ASPECT-PLUS assays. Clinical and electrocardiographic follow-up was performed at months 1, 6, and 12. Patients who maintained SR at 12 months had significantly lower concentrations of sST2, measured by ELISA and ASPECT-PLUS assays, than the remaining patients (16.9 ± 9.8 vs. 28 ± 22.9 ng/mL; P < 0.001; 28.7 ± 13.4 vs. 40 ± 25.1 ng/mL; P = 0.003); the concentration of galectin-3 did not differ between these patients. Multivariable logistic regression showed that log-transformed sST2 ELISA was a significant predictor of SR maintenance at 12 months [odds ratio 0.14; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.03-0.58; P = 0.006]. On receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis, the areas under the curve for the concentration of sST2 was 0.752 (95% CI 0.634-0.870; P < 0.001). The concentrations of sST2 measured with the two assays were strongly correlated (rho = 0.8; CI 95% 0.7-0.87; P = 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Soluble suppression of tumourigenicity 2, but not galectin-3, can be used to predict SR maintenance after cardioversion of AF in patients with normal left ventricular systolic function. The measurements of sST2 concentrations with the rapid lateral flow and enzyme-linked immunoassays were consistent.

The relationship between admission heart rate and early prognosis in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction

BACKGROUND

Heart rate (HR) is a basic cardiovascular parameter. The relationship between HR and cardiovascular mortality and morbidity has been indicated in clinical trials and epidemiological studies.

AIM

The evaluation of the relationship between HR upon hospital admission and the in-hospital prognosis in a group of patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

METHODS

The medical records of 927 patients were subject to retrospective analysis. The patients were classified on the basis of HR upon hospital admission: < 60 bpm (n = 75), 60-69 bpm (n = 169), 70-79 bpm (n = 245), 80-89 bpm (n = 172), 90-99 bpm (n = 134), and ≥ 100 bpm (n = 132). A group of patients with HR of 60-69 bpm on hospital admission (n = 169) constituted a reference group. Patients with atrioventricular blocks and arrhythmias were excluded from the analysis. Early mortality and co-existing diseases were evaluated in the study population.

RESULTS

Patients with HR ≥ 90 bpm demonstrated heart failure symptoms considerably more often than patients with HR of 60-69 bpm (p = 0.0010). In-hospital mortality was significantly higher in patients with a HR of more than 90 bpm and bradycardia. The relationship between HR and cardiovascular mortality is shown with a J-shaped curve.

CONCLUSIONS

HR is strictly correlated with early cardiovascular mortality in a population of patients with STEMI. The relationship between HR and early mortality is demonstrated by a J-shaped curve.

Central and Branch Retinal Artery Occlusion-Do They Harbor the Same Risk of Further Ischemic Events?

Purpose: Retinal artery occlusion (RAO) is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events such as ischemic stroke and myocardial infarction, but whether different RAO subtypes such as central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO) or branch retinal artery occlusion (BRAO) carry similar risk of these events is unclear. Our aim was to determine whether the risk of cardiovascular events differs between CRAO and BRAO. Methods: This single-center, retrospective study included 131 patients hospitalized in our clinic in 2010–2020 with CRAO or BRAO confirmed by ophthalmic examination. Data on demographics, previous ischemic stroke and myocardial infarction, comorbidities, the results of echocardiographic and ultrasound carotid artery examinations and laboratory tests were assessed. Data on ischemic stroke, myocardial infarction, and all-cause mortality occurring after RAO were obtained from the Polish National Health Service, which collects data on all publicly funded hospitalizations. Using these data, Kaplan-Meier analyses and Cox proportional hazard regression were performed. Results: Ischemic stroke occurred in 9.9% of patients after RAO: 10.6% in the CRAO group and 8.1% in the BRAO group (p = 0.662). Myocardial infarction occurred in 2.3% of patients after RAO: 2.1% in the CRAO group and 2.7% in the BRAO group (p = 0.843). All-cause mortality occurred in 22.9% of patients after RAO: 25.5% in the CRAO group and 16.2% in the BRAO group (p = 0.253). The composite endpoint of ischemic stroke, myocardial infarction, and all-cause mortality after RAO occurred in 28.2% of patients: 30.9% in the CRAO group and 21.6% in the BRAO group (p = 0.338). There was no difference between CRAO and BRAO in median time to ischemic stroke (32 vs. 76.4 months; p = 0.352), all-cause mortality (35.9 vs. 36.3 months; p = 0.876) or composite endpoint (37.5 vs. 41.5 months; p = 0.912) after RAO. The Kaplan-Meier analysis showed no differences between CRAO and BRAO in ischemic stroke, myocardial infarction, all-cause mortality, or the composite endpoint; similar results were obtained in analyses of patients with and without cardiovascular events before RAO. Conclusions: The prognosis for ischemic stroke, myocardial infarction, and all-cause mortality is similar in patients with CRAO and BRAO. Ischemic strokes occur with a similar frequency before and after RAO. Myocardial infarctions are observed significantly more frequently before an episode of RAO than after. The results of our study indicate that both CRAO and BRAO require expanded diagnostics to assess the risk of recurrent cardiovascular events, especially ischemic strokes, to implement appropriate prophylaxis and reduce mortality.

Risk of left atrial appendage thrombus in patients with atrial fibrillation and chronic kidney disease

Background

Atrial fibrillation (AF) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) are associated with an increased risk of ischemic stroke. The aim of this study was to compare the clinical characteristics, the incidence of left atrial appendage (LAA) thrombus and its predictors, and spontaneous echo contrast (SEC) in a population of patients with AF depending on estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) values.

Methods

This study included 1962 patients who underwent transesophageal echocardiographic examination prior to cardioversion or ablation in the years 2014–2018 in three cardiac centers.

Results

More than a quarter of AF patients had decreased eGFR (< 60 mL/min/1.73 m²) and were characterized as a high-risk population, with more comorbidities, higher thromboembolic and bleeding risk compared to those with normal renal function. Oral anticoagulation (OAC) was prescribed in 97% and 93% of patients with decreased and normal eGFR, respectively, with a higher prevalence of prescribed non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs). The incidence of LAA thrombus (24%, 9% and 4%) and SEC (25%, 25% and 19%) increases simultaneously with a decrease in eGFR (< 30, 30–59 and ≥ 60 mL/min/1.73 m², respectively). Among patients prescribed reduced doses of NOAC, those with decreased eGFR were more often observed with LAA thrombus (10% vs. 2.5%). Non-paroxysmal AF, heart failure and previous bleeding were predictors of LAA thrombus, irrespective of eGFR value. CKD was the predictor of LAA thrombus in all patients including those with non-paroxysmal AF, males, without diabetes, without hypertension and with CHA₂DS₂-VASc < 2.

Conclusions

Despite OAC, patients with concomitant AF and CKD remain at high risk for LAA thrombus formation.

Trends in the Prescription of Non-Vitamin K Antagonist Oral Anticoagulants for Atrial Fibrillation: Results of the Polish Atrial Fibrillation (POL-AF) Registry

Background: Current guidelines do not suggest in which groups of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) individual non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) should be used for the prevention of thromboembolic complications. The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency of use of apixaban, dabigatran, and rivaroxaban, and attempt to identify factors predisposing their administration. Methods: The Polish Atrial Fibrillation (POL-AF) registry is a prospective, non-interventional study, including consecutive patients with AF hospitalized in ten Polish cardiology centers during the period ranging from January to December 2019. In this study, all patients were treated with NOACs. Results: Among the 2971 patients included in the analysis, 40.4% were treated with rivaroxaban, 32% with apixaban, and 27.6% with dabigatran. The mean age of the total population was 72 ± 11.5 years and 43% were female. A reduced dose of NOAC was used in 35% of patients treated with apixaban, 39.7% of patients treated with dabigatran, and 34.4% of patients treated with rivaroxaban. Independent predictors of the use of apixaban were previous bleeding (OR 2.37, CI 1.67–3.38), GFR < 60 mL/min (OR 1.38, CI 1.25–1.64), heart failure (OR 1.38, CI 1.14–1.67) and age (per 5 years) (OR 1.14, CI 1.09–1.19). GFR < 60 mL/min (OR 0.79, CI 0.66–0.95), female (OR 0.8, CI 0.67–0.96) and age (per 5 years) (OR 0.95, CI 0.91–0.99) diminished the chance of using dabigatran. Previous bleeding (OR 0.43, CI 0.28–0.64), vascular disease (OR 0.84, CI 0.70–0.99), and age (per 5 years) (OR 0.94, CI 0.90–0.97) diminished the chance of choosing rivaroxaban. Conclusions: In hospitalized patients with AF, the most frequently chosen NOAC was rivaroxaban. Apixaban was chosen more often in patients after bleeding, and in those who were advanced in years, with heart failure and impaired renal function. Impaired renal function and female gender were factors that diminished the chance of using dabigatran. Previous bleeding and vascular disease was the factor that diminished the chance of using rivaroxaban. Dabigatran and rivaroxaban have been used less frequently in elderly patients.

Stroke prevention and guideline adherent antithrombotic treatment in elderly patients with atrial fibrillation: A real-world experience

Patients aged ≥75 years with the diagnosis of atrial fibrillation (AF) are at a higher risk of stroke and, according to recent recommendations, should receive oral anticoagulant (OAC) therapy. This study aimed to assess the recommended prophylactic antithrombotic therapy among patients with AF aged ≥ 75 years and its compliance with current guidelines. We also aimed to identify predisposing factors associated with the administration of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) in elderly patients with AF.This was a retrospective, single-center observational study. Patients with AF aged ≥75 years hospitalized at a reference cardiology center from 2014 to 2017 were included in the analysis.Among the 1236 eligible patients (43.4% male; mean age, 82 years), OACs were recommended in 90.1% of cases. Of these, 59.8% of patients used NOACs and 40.2% used vitamin K antagonists. Additionally, 3.3% of patients received antiplatelet (AP) therapy and 2.5% were administered low molecular weight heparin. Only 4.5% of patients did not receive any anticoagulant treatment. The majority (89.9%) of patients received relevant prophylactic antithrombotic therapy according to current guidelines; only 1.4% were overtreated and 8.7% were undertreated. The significant predictors of NOAC therapy among patients treated with anticoagulants were non-permanent AF (odds ratio [OR] = 1.68, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.30-2.18, P = .0001), age-by 5 years (OR = 1.33, 95% CI = 1.16-1.52, P = .0001), and glomerular filtration rate-by 5 units (OR = 1.06, 95% CI = 1.02-1.10, P = .0066).A high percentage of AF patients aged ≥75 years receive OACs, mainly NOACs. Most patients are treated according to the current guidelines; under treatment is primarily observed in patients receiving AP therapy. Non-permanent AF, age, and preservation of renal function are significant predictors of NOAC use.

Comparison of Inhospital and 12- and 36-Month Outcomes After Acute Coronary Syndrome in Men Versus Women <40 Years (from the PL-ACS Registry)

The study was aimed to compare the characteristics and inhospital and 12- and 36-month outcomes of men and women <40 years with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). The analysis involved 932 patients <40 years with ACS in the Silesia region enrolled into the ongoing, prospective Polish Registry of Acute Coronary Syndromes from January 2006 to December 2014. The composite end point involved death, recurrence of ACS, a need for percutaneous coronary intervention, and coronary artery bypass graft surgery within 12 and 36 months after ACS. Compared with men, women <40 years were less frequently smokers (66.1% vs 55.4%, p = 0008), had older average age (35.6 ± 4.2 vs 34.7 ± 4.4, p = 0.002), more often had unstable angina at admission (29.1% vs 19.3%, p <0.001), and less frequently had ST-elevation myocardial infarction: 41.3% versus 51.3%, p = 0.02, at admission. There was no significant difference in the mortality (4.8% vs 3.1%, p = 0.29) and the composite end point (21.6% vs 16.0%, p = 0.14) within 12 months after ACS. Compared with men, women had a higher incidence of the composite end point (28.4% vs 20.1%, p = 0.04) and indicated a tendency of a higher mortality within the 36-month follow-up period (9.2% vs 5.0%, p = 0.055). Female gender turned out to be an independent risk factor of death in the multivariate analysis (hazard ratio 2.76, 95% confidence interval 1.21 to 6.31, p <0.016). In conclusion, women had a higher incidence of the composite end point and showed a tendency toward a higher mortality than the men within the 36-month follow-up period.

[Depression in patients after coronary artery bypass grafting]

Surgical revascularization is a recognized method of treatment ofischaemic heart disease. The number of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is constantly increasing, both in a population of young patients with coronary heart disease and in elderly patients. It is estimated that even one out of three patients undergoing CABG in the perioperative period can develop symptoms of depression. Numerous individual factors as well as factors related to the surgery have an impact on the occurrence of depression. The most common factors are: age, sex, socio-economic status, co-existing diseases, and the occurrence ofpreoperative depression. Researchers are currently looking for biochemical markers concentration of which before surgery could serve as a predicator for the occurrence of post-CABG depression. It is suggested that inflammatory response, particularly intense in the perioperative period, is linked to the occurrence of depression after surgical revascularization. Recognizing these factors is of utmost importance since it will help develop a stratification aiming at the identification of patients who are particularly prone to the occurrence of postoperative depression. Due to the fact that depression not only lowers the quality of life but also affects the short-term and long-term prognosis, identifying patients at risk is significantly important.

Symptomatic and Asymptomatic Patients in the Polish Atrial Fibrillation (POL-AF) Registry

BACKGROUND

Atrial fibrillation (AF) can cause severe symptoms, but it is frequently asymptomatic. We aimed to compare the clinical features of patients with asymptomatic and symptomatic AF.

METHODS

A prospective, observational, multicenter study was performed (the Polish Atrial Fibrillation (POL-AF) registry). Consecutive hospitalized AF patients over 18 years of age were enrolled at ten centers. The data were collected for two weeks during each month of 2019.

RESULTS

A total of 2785 patients were analyzed, of whom 1360 were asymptomatic (48.8%). Asymptomatic patients were more frequently observed to have coronary artery disease (57.5% vs. 49.1%, p < 0.0001), heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (39.8% vs. 26.5%, p < 0.0001), a previous thromboembolic event (18.2% vs. 13.1%, p = 0.0002), and paroxysmal AF (52.3% vs. 45.2%, p = 0.0002). In multivariate analysis, history of electrical cardioversion, paroxysmal AF, heart failure, coronary artery disease, previous thromboembolic event, and higher left ventricular ejection fraction were predictors of a lack of AF symptoms. First-diagnosed AF was a predictor of AF symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

In comparison to symptomatic patients, more of those hospitalized with asymptomatic AF had been previously diagnosed with this arrhythmia and other cardiovascular diseases. However, they presented with better left ventricular function and were more frequently treated with cardiovascular medicines.

Long-Term Outcomes after Stroke in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation: A Single Center Study

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is known to be a significant risk factor for poor prognosis after stroke. In this study, we compared differences in long-term outcomes after ischemic stroke among patients with AF and sinus rhythm (SR). We identified patients admitted to the reference Neurology Center between 1 January 2013 and 30 April 2015, inclusive, with acute ischemic stroke. Of the 1959 surviving patients, 892 were enrolled and followed for five years or until death. We analyzed the risk of stroke recurrence and death between patients with AF and SR at 1, 3, and 5 years after stroke. The rates of death and stroke recurrence were estimated using Kaplan-Meier analysis and multivariate Cox regression. During follow-up, 17.8% of patients died and 14.6% had recurrent stroke. The mortality in the AF group increased relative to the SR group with subsequent years. The risk of death was statistically higher in the AF than SR group at 1 year after stroke (13.5 vs. 7%, p = 0.004). After adjusting for age, stroke severity, and comorbidities, there was also no significant effect of AF on mortality in the first year after stroke (OR = 1.59, p = 0.247). There were no significant differences between the groups in stroke recurrence during follow-up. The results of our study showed that post-stroke patients with AF have a more severe prognosis, although AF itself does not have an independent negative effect on long-term outcomes after stroke. Long-term survival after stroke in patients with AF was strongly associated with age, stroke severity, and heart failure. The impact of other factors on prognosis after stroke in patients with AF should be considered.