One-year recurrence rate of new-onset atrial fibrillation after acute myocardial infarction
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia worldwide, with a prevalence of up to 21% in the early phase of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Data on new-onset AF in this context are limited, and long-term prognosis remains unclear. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective observational cohort study from December 2011 to May 2021, including patients who experienced a first episode of paroxysmal AF during hospitalization for AMI. The primary outcome was the recurrence of AF within the first year post-discharge. Secondary outcomes included all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, and a composite of major adverse cardiovascular events. RESULTS: A total of 209 patients were included. There was AF recurrence in 19 patients, 9.1% (95% CI 5.2-13.0%) with a median time to recurrence of 84 days (interquartile range 27.5-157.5). While mortality in the AF recurrence group was numerically higher than in the non-AF recurrence group, this difference did not achieve statistical significance (15.8% vs. 7.4%, p=0.19). Patients with AF recurrence had significantly worse prognosis (47.4% vs. 23.7%, p=0.04), primarily due to increased heart failure (HF) hospitalizations. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with a first episode of paroxysmal AF during AMI, one-year recurrence is relatively low (9.1%); however, AF recurrence is associated with significantly worse prognosis, driven largely by HF hospitalizations.
Authors: Alicia Prieto-Lobato, Víctor Hidalgo Olivares, Manuel Gerónimo Pardo, Marta Cubells Pastor, Francisco Manuel Salmerón Martínez, Miguel José Corbí-Pascual
Language: English
Subfield: Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4410478302