Clinical Outcomes in Asymptomatic and Symptomatic Atrial Fibrillation Presentations in GARFIELD-AF: Implications for AF Screening

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Gibbs H., Freedman B., Rosenqvist M., Virdone S., Al Mahmeed W., Ambrosio G., ...More

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF MEDICINE, vol.134, no.7, pp.893-912, 2021 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 134 Issue: 7
  • Publication Date: 2021
  • Doi Number: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2021.01.017
  • Journal Name: AMERICAN JOURNAL OF MEDICINE
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, Abstracts in Social Gerontology, BIOSIS, CAB Abstracts, CINAHL, EMBASE, MEDLINE, Veterinary Science Database
  • Page Numbers: pp.893-912
  • Hacettepe University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Asymptomatic atrial fibrillation is often detected incidentally. Prognosis and optimal therapy for asymptomatic compared with symptomatic atrial fibrillation is uncertain. This study compares clinical characteristics, treatment, and 2-year outcomes of asymptomatic and symptomatic atrial fibrillation presentations. METHODS: Global Anticoagulant Registry in the Field-Atrial Fibrillation (GARFIELD-AF) is a global, prospective, observational study of newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation with >= 1 stroke risk factors (http:// www.clinicaltrials.gov, unique identifier: NCT01090362). Patients were characterized by atrial fibrillation-related symptoms at presentation and the CHA2DS2-VASc score. Two-year follow-up recorded anticoagulation patterns (vitamin K antagonist, direct oral anticoagulants, parenteral therapy) and outcomes (stroke/systemic embolism, all-cause mortality, and bleeding). RESULTS: At presentation, of 52,032 eligible patients, 25.4% were asymptomatic and 74.6% symptomatic. Asymptomatic patients were slightly older (72 vs 70 years), more often male (64.2% vs 52.9%), and more frequently initiated on anticoagulation antiplatelets (69.4% vs 66.0%). No difference in events (adjusted hazard ratios, 95% confidence interval) for nonhemorrhagic stroke/systemic embolism (1.19, 0.97-1.45), all-cause mortality (1.06, 0.94-1.20), or bleeding (1.02, 0.87-1.19) was observed. Anticoagulation was associated with comparable reduction in nonhemorrhagic stroke/systemic embolism (0.59, 0.43-0.82 vs 0.78, 0.65-0.93) and all-cause mortality (0.69, 0.59-0.81 vs 0.77, 0.71-0.85) in asymptomatic versus symptomatic, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Major outcomes do not differ between asymptomatic and symptomatic atrial fibrillation presentations and are comparably reduced by anticoagulation. Opportunistic screening-detected asymptomatic atrial fibrillation likely has the same prognosis as asymptomatic atrial fibrillation at presentation and likely responds similarly to anticoagulation thromboprophylaxis.