Atrial fibrillation occurred in 6.3% of cirrhotic patients (21 of 335) and was not independently associated with increased mortality over 24 months of follow-up.
Cohort (n=335)
Atrial fibrillation is not predisposed by cirrhosis and does not independently impact mortality in cirrhotic patients.
BACKGROUND mean age 65 ± 10.85 years; 196 Child-Pugh class A, 104 class B and 35 class C) were consecutively analysed and followed up for 24 months. Electrocardiograms were available for all patients before starting the study, at basaltime and during the follow-up. Echocardiography was performed in individuals with atrial fibrillation and in 100 randomly chosen patients without it. RESULTS: Atrial fibrillation was observed in 21/335 cirrhotics (mean age 75 ± 7 years, 13 male), six of whom had permanent and 15 had paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. At univariate analysis, atrial fibrillation significantly correlated with older age, history of coronary heart disease, Child-Pugh score, serum albumin, hepatic encephalopathy, treatment with furosemide, QTc prolongation, atrial section areas, increased PAPs and thickness of interventricular septum. Age odd ratio 1.12, 95% CI (1.05-1.2), P = 0.001, history of coronary heart disease odd ratio 4.93, 95% CI (1.04-23.54), P = 0.04 and PAPs odd ratio 1.12, 95% CI (1.02-1.2), P = 0.01 maintained statistical significance at multivariate analysis. Fifty-one of the 335 patients died during the follow-up. At Cox regression analysis, advanced Child-Pugh score hazard ratio 1.546, 95% CI (1.357-1.762), P = 0.037 and increased heart rate hazard ratio 1.117, 95% CI (1.021-1.223), P = 0.016 were significantly associated with mortality which was independent of atrial fibrillation occurrence. CONCLUSIONS: Cirrhosis is not a predisposing factor of atrial fibrillation, which in turn has no impact on mortality in cirrhotic patients.
Mwalitsa et al. (2015) conducted a cohort in Cirrhosis (n=335). Atrial fibrillation vs. No atrial fibrillation was evaluated on Mortality. Atrial fibrillation occurred in 6.3% of cirrhotic patients (21 of 335) and was not independently associated with increased mortality over 24 months of follow-up.