Key result
Exertional and resting shortness of breath emerge as core symptoms in AF.
Why the study?
Atrial fibrillation symptoms are diverse and complex, and research on establishing symptom networks to identify core and bridging symptoms for targeted management is limited.
Cross-Sectional (n=384)
No
Network analysis identifies shortness of breath as a core symptom in atrial fibrillation, providing potential targets for symptom management.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
May inform targeted AF symptom management; hypothesis-generating and requires prospective validation before practice change.
Background: Atrial fibrillation symptoms are diverse and complex, but symptom networks can visually map the relationships between symptoms and influencing factors, identifying key symptoms and offering better targets for symptom management. However, research on establishing symptom networks in Atrial fibrillation patients is limited. Aim: We aimed to construct a symptom network for patients with atrial fibrillation, understand its characteristics, and identify core and bridging symptoms. Methods: This cross-sectional study enrolled 384 patients with atrial fibrillation from November 2021 to August 2022 at Tianjin Medical University General Hospital of China. Network analysis methods were utilized to construct the symptom network. Centrality metrics were used to identify important symptoms. Results: By incorporating covariates into the symptom network, we revealed that the Mental Health Inventory-5 score was most closely related to "fatigue at rest". Sex influenced all symptoms except "dizziness" and "shortness of breath at rest". Left ventricular ejection fraction was closely connected to "exercise intolerance" and "shortness of breath at rest", while the frail score was closely linked to "exercise intolerance" and "dizziness". Controlling for covariates, "shortness of breath during physical activity" and "shortness of breath at rest" are atrial fibrillation patients' core symptoms. "Shortness of breath at rest", "palpitations", and "chest pain" served as bridging symptoms between symptom clusters. Conclusion: Symptom networks can help us understand the relationships between symptoms and influencing factors, as well as the interactions between different atrial fibrillation symptoms.
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Sun et al. (2025) conducted a cross-sectional in Atrial fibrillation (n=384). Clinical and demographic factors (mental health, sex, LVEF, frailty) was evaluated on Core and bridging symptoms identified via network analysis. Shortness of breath during physical activity and at rest were identified as core symptoms in patients with atrial fibrillation, while shortness of breath at rest, palpitations, and chest pain served as bridging symptoms.
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