Key result
Female patients with atrial fibrillation reported a reduced quality of life, experienced more severe symptoms, and were less likely to be managed with invasive rhythm control strategies compared to men.
Why the study?
Quality of life in AF appears to be disproportionately lower in female patients compared to men, but the contributing factors were not fully understood.
What factors contribute to sex-related disparities in the quality of life of patients with atrial fibrillation?
Systematic Review (n=4,716,788)
What factors contribute to sex-related disparities in the quality of life of patients with atrial fibrillation?
Female patients with atrial fibrillation experience lower quality of life and higher symptom burden compared to men, partly driven by under-utilization of rhythm control strategies and higher rates of anxiety and depression.
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Clinicians should monitor symptom burden and consider equitable rhythm control access in women with AF; confirms sex disparities but leaves causal impact on outcomes open.
Moqeem et al. (2020) conducted a systematic review in Atrial Fibrillation (n=4,716,788). Female sex vs. Male sex was evaluated on Quality of Life (QoL) measured by AFEQT scores. Female patients with atrial fibrillation reported a reduced quality of life, experienced more severe symptoms, and were less likely to be managed with invasive rhythm control strategies compared to men.
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