Stroke and Myocardial Infarction in Patients with Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm and New-Onset Atrial Fibrillation

Thromb Haemost. 2023 May;123(5):555-564. doi: 10.1055/a-2009-8954. Epub 2023 Jan 10.

Abstract

Objective: We investigated the association between new-onset atrial fibrillation (AF) and risk of stroke and myocardial infarction (MI) in patients with abdominal aortic aneurysmal (AAA) disease.

Methods: Observational crossover study using Danish nationwide data, including patients with AAA and incident AF between 1997 and 2018. We estimated the 1-year risk of stroke and MI and the within-individual odds ratios (ORs) of ischemic events before and after an AF diagnosis, stratified by year of AF diagnosis (1997-2010 and 2011-2018), and supplemented with analyses on changes in use of antithrombotic therapy.

Results: A total of 3,035 AAA patients were included: 1,040 diagnosed during 1997 to 2010, and 1,995 during 2011 to 2018 (22.2% females, median age 78 years; median CHA2DS2-VASc score 4; interquartile range: 3-5). One-year risk of ischemic events after AF was 5.9% (confidence interval [CI] 95%: 4.6-7.5%) and 4.5% (CI 95%: 3.7-5.5%) for stroke and 5.4% (CI 95%: 4.2-6.9%) and 4.0% (CI 95%: 3.2-4.9%) for MI during 1997 to 2010 and 2011 to 2018, respectively. The OR of ischemic stroke before and after incident AF was 2.8 (CI 95%: 1.6-5.2) during 1997 to 2010; and 2.4 (CI 95%: 1.5 to 3.9) during 2011 to 2018, and 3.5 (CI 95%: 1.7-7.5) and 1.5 (CI 95%: 0.9-2.4) for MI. One-year proportion of prescription claims for oral anticoagulants after AF changed from 66.1% in 1997 to 2010 to 82.6% in 2011 to 2018, while antiplatelet prescription claims changed from 80.8 to 60.9%.

Conclusion: Cardiovascular prognosis has improved in patients with prevalent AAA disease and new-onset AF in concordance with optimization of antithrombotic therapy over time. A diagnosis of AF conferred residual risk of stroke and MI.

Publication types

  • Observational Study

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Anticoagulants / therapeutic use
  • Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal* / complications
  • Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal* / epidemiology
  • Atrial Fibrillation* / complications
  • Atrial Fibrillation* / diagnosis
  • Atrial Fibrillation* / drug therapy
  • Cross-Over Studies
  • Female
  • Fibrinolytic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Myocardial Infarction* / drug therapy
  • Myocardial Infarction* / epidemiology
  • Risk Assessment
  • Risk Factors
  • Stroke* / drug therapy
  • Stroke* / epidemiology
  • Stroke* / etiology

Substances

  • Anticoagulants
  • Fibrinolytic Agents