Atrial fibrillation incidence, prevalence, predictors, and adverse outcomes in acute coronary syndromes: A pooled analysis of data from 8 million patients

Objective: To summarize data on the prevalence/incidence, risk factors and prognosis of atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS).

Methods: MEDLINE, Embase, and Web of Science were searched to identify all published studies providing relevant data through August 23, 2020. Random-effects meta-analysis method was used to pool estimates.

Results: We included 109 studies reporting data from a pooled population of 8 239 364 patients. The prevalence rates were 5.8% for pre-existing AF, 7.3% for newly diagnosed AF, and 11.3% for prevalent (total) AF, in patients with ACS. Predictors of newly diagnosed AF included age (per year increase) (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 1.05), C-reactive protein (aOR: 1.49), left atrial (LA) diameter (aOR: 1.08), LA dilatation (aOR: 2.32), left ventricular ejection fraction <40% (aOR: 1.82), hypertension (aOR: 1.87), and Killip ˃ 1 (aOR: 1.85), p < .01 in all analyzes. Newly diagnosed AF was associated with an increased risk of acute heart failure (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR]: 3.20), acute kidney injury (aHR: 3.09), re-infarction (aHR: 1.96), stroke (aHR: 2.15), major bleeding (aHR: 2.93), and mortality (aHR: 1.80) in the short term; and with an increased risk of heart failure (aHR: 2.21), stroke (aHR: 1.75), mortality (aHR: 1.67), CV mortality (aHR: 2.09), sudden cardiac death (aHR: 1.53), and a composite of major adverse cardiovascular events (aHR: 1.54) in the long term (beyond 1 month), p < .05 in all analyzes.

Conclusion: One in nine patients with ACS has AF, with a high proportion of newly diagnosed AF. AF, in particular newly diagnosed AF, is associated with poor short-term and long-term outcomes in patients with ACS.