Epidemiology of atrial fibrillation in a representative sample of the European part of the Russian Federation. Analysis of EPOCH-CHF study

Aim    To study true prevalence of atrial fibrillation (AF) in a representative sample from the European part of the Russian Federation; to describe characteristics of patients with AF; and to provide the frequency of anticoagulant treatment.Material and methods    Cross-sectional data of the EPOCH epidemiological study (2017) were used. Data were collected in 8 constituent entities of the Russian Federation; the sample size was 11 453 people. The sample included all respondents who had given their consent for participation and were older than 10 years. Statistical tests were performed in the R system for statistical data analysis.Results    The prevalence of AF in the representative sample from the European part of the Russian Federation was 2.04 %. The AF prevalence increased with age and reached a maximum value of 9.6% in the age group of 80 to 89 years. The AF prevalence among females was 1.5 times higher than among men. With age standardization, the AF prevalence was 18.95 and 21.33 per 1,000 people for men and women, respectively. The AF prevalence increased in the presence of concurrent cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) or diabetes mellitus as well as with an increased number of comorbidities in the same person and reached 70.3 and 60.0 % in patients with 4 and 5 comorbidities, respectively. Patients with AF had a greater number of comorbidities and higher CHA2DS2VASc scores (5.0 vs. 2.0, p<0.001) compared to patients with CVDs without AF. Only 22.6 % of patients with CVD and AF took anticoagulants. Only 23.9% of patients with absolute indications for the anticoagulant treatment received anticoagulants.Conclusion    The AF prevalence in the European part of the Russian Federation was 2.04 %; it increased with age and in patients with concurrent CVDs or diabetes mellitus. Most of AF patients (93.2 %) required a mandatory treatment with oral anticoagulants.

Patients with a Combination of Atrial Fibrillation and Chronic Heart Failure in Clinical Practice: Comorbidities, Drug Treatment and Outcomes

Aim. To assess in clinical practice the structure of multimorbidity, cardiovascular pharmacotherapy and outcomes in patients with a combination of atrial fibrillation (AF) and chronic heart failure (CHF) based on prospective registries of patients with cardiovascular diseases (CVD).

Materials and Methods. The data of 3795 patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) were analyzed within the registries RECVASA (Ryazan), RECVASA FP (Moscow, Kursk, Tula, Yaroslavl), REGION-PO and REGION-LD (Ryazan), REGION-Moscow, REGATA (Ryazan). The comparison groups consisted of 3016 (79.5%) patients with AF in combination with CHF and 779 (29.5%) patients with AF without CHF. The duration of prospective observation is from 2 to 6 years.

Results. Patients with a combination of AF and CHF (n=3016, age was 72.0±10.3 years; 41.8% of men) compared with patients with AF without CHF (n=779, age was 70.3±12.0 years; 43.5% of men) had a higher risk of thromboembolic complications (CHA2DS2-VASc – 4.68±1.59 and 3.10±1.50; p<0.001) and hemorrhagic complications (HAS-BLED – 1.59±0.77 and 1.33±0.76; p<0.05). Patients with a combination of AF and CHF significantly more often (p<0.001) than in the absence of CHF were diagnosed with arterial hypertension (93.9% and 83.8%), coronary heart disease (87.9% and 53,5%), myocardial infarction (28.4% and 14.0%), diabetes mellitus (22.4% and 7.7%), chronic kidney disease (24.8% and 16.2%), as well as respiratory diseases (20.1% and 15.3%; p=0.002). Patients with AF in the presence of CHF, compared with patients without CHF, were more often diagnosed with a permanent form of arrhythmia (49.3% and 32.9%; p<0.001) and less often paroxysmal (22.5% and 46.2%; p<0.001) form  of  arrhythmia.  Ejection  fraction  ≤40%  (9.3%  and  1.2%;  p<0.001),  heart  rate  ≥90/min  (23.7% and 19.3%; p=0.008) and blood pressure ≥140/90 mm Hg (59.9% and 52.2%; p<0.001) were recorded with AF in the presence of CHF more often than in the absence of CHF. The frequency of proper cardiovascular pharmacotherapy was higher, albeit insufficient, in the presence of CHF (64.9%) than in the absence of it (56.1%), but anticoagulants were prescribed less frequently when AF and CHF were combined (38.8% and  49, 0%; p<0.001). The frequency of unreasonable prescription of antiplatelet agents instead of anticoagulants was 52.5% and 33.3% (p<0.001) in the combination of AF, CHF and coronary heart disease, as well as in the combination of AF with coronary heart disease but without CHF. Patients with AF and CHF during the observation period compared with those without CHF had higher mortality from all causes (37.6% and 30.3%; p=0.001), the frequency of non-fatal cerebral stroke (8.2% and 5.4%; p=0.032) and myocardial infarction (4.7% and 2.5%; p=0.036), hospitalizations for CVD (22.8% and 15.5%; p<0.001).

Conclusion. Patients with a combination of AF and CHF, compared with the group of patients with AF without CHF, were older, had a higher risk of thromboembolic and hemorrhagic complications, they were more often diagnosed with other concomitant cardiovascular and chronic noncardiac diseases, decreased left ventricular ejection fraction, tachysystole, failure to achieve the target blood pressure level in the presence of arterial hypertension. The frequency of prescribing proper cardiovascular pharmacotherapy was higher, albeit insufficient, in the presence of CHF, while the frequency of prescribing anticoagulants was less. The  incidence of mortality from all causes, the development of non-fatal myocardial infarction   and cerebral stroke, as well as the incidence of hospitalizations for CVDs were higher in AF associated with CHF.

Combination of Atrial Fibrillation and Coronary Heart Disease in Patients in Clinical Practice: Comorbidities, Pharmacotherapy and Outcomes (Data from the REСVASA Registries)

Aim. Assess the structure of comorbid conditions, cardiovascular pharmacotherapy and outcomes in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and concomitant coronary artery disease (CAD) included in the outpatient and hospital RECVASA registries.

Materials and methods. 3169 patients with AF were enrolled in outpatient RECVASA (Ryazan), RECVASA AF-Yaroslavl registries and hospital RECVASA AF (Moscow, Kursk, Tula). 2497 (78.8%) registries of patients with AF had CAD and 703 (28.2%) of them had a previous myocardial infarction (MI).

Results. There were 2,497 patients with a combination of AF and CAD (age was 72.2±9.9 years; 43.1% of men; CHA2DS2-VASc – 4.57±1.61 points; HAS-BLED – 1.60±0,75 points), and the group with AF without CAD included 672 patients (age was 66.0±12.3 years; 43.2% of men; CHA2DS2-VASc – 3.26±1.67 points; HAS-BLED – 1,11±0.74 points). Patients with CAD were on average 6.2 years older and had a higher risk of thromboembolic and hemorrhagic complications (p<0.05). 703 patients with a combination of AF and CAD had the previous myocardial infarction (MI; age was 72.3±9.5 years; 55.2% of men; CHA2DS2-VASc – 4.57±1.61; HAS-BLED – 1.65±0.76), and 1794 patients didn't have previous MI (age was 72.2±10.0 years; 38.4% of men; CHA2DS2-VASc – 4.30±1.50; HAS-BLED – 1.58±0.78). The proportion of men was 1.4 times higher among those with the previous MI. Patients with a combination of AF and CAD significantly more often (p <0.0001) than in the absence of CAD received a diagnosis of hypertension (93.8% and 78.6%), chronic heart failure (90.1% and 51.2%), diabetes mellitus (21.4% and 13.8%), chronic kidney disease (24.8% and 17.7%), as well as anemia (7.0% and 3.0%; p=0.001). Patients with and without the previous MI had the only significant difference in the form of a diabetes mellitus higher incidence having the previous MI (27% versus 19.2%, p=0.0008). The frequency of proper cardiovascular pharmacotherapy was insufficient, mainly in the presence of CAD (67.8%) than in its absence (74.5%), especially the prescription of anticoagulants (39.1% and 66.2%; p <0.0001), as well as in the presence of the previous MI (63.3%) than in its absence (74.3%). The presence of CAD and, in particular, the previous MI, was significantly associated with a higher risk of death (risk ratio [RR]=1.58; 95% confidence interval [CI] was 1.33-1.88; p <0.001 and RR=1.59; 95% CI was 1.33-1.90; p <0.001), as well as with a higher risk of developing a combined cardiovascular endpoint (RR=1.88; 95% CI was 1.17-3 , 00; p <0.001 and RR=1.75; 95% CI was 1.44-2.12; p<0.001, respectively).

Conclusion. 78.8% of patients from AF registries in 5 regions of Russia were diagnosed with CAD, of which 28.2% had previously suffered myocardial infarction. Patients with a combination of AF and CAD more often than in the absence of CAD had hypertension, chronic heart failure, diabetes, chronic kidney disease and anemia. Patients with the previous MI had higher incidence of diabetes than those without the previous MI. The frequency of proper cardiovascular pharmacotherapy was insufficient, and to a greater extent in the presence of CAD and the previous MI than in their absence. All-cause mortality was recorded in patients with a combination of AF and CAD more often than in the absence of CAD. All-cause mortality and the incidence of nonfatal myocardial infarction were higher in patients with AF and the previous MI than in those without the previous MI. The presence of CAD and, in particular, the previous MI, was significantly associated with a higher risk of death, as well as a higher risk of developing a combined cardiovascular endpoint.

[Assessment of individual risk of food interactions while taking warfarin]

AIM

To develop a questionnaire to assess the individual risk of food interactions in a patient taking warfarin.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Based on the review of 159 literature sources, a test version of the questionnaire was formed. 196 respondents took part in the pilot part of the study to assess the multiplicity and volume of food consumption. For the initial assessment of the risk limit of the diet, complications of warfarin therapy were registered no earlier than 24 weeks later.

RESULTS

The final version of the questionnaire included 25 products that are most frequently consumed and significant in relation to the risk of alimentary interactions. The questionnaire contains 2 groups of products: increasing and decreasing the activity of warfarin. The volume and frequency of use of each product is evaluated in points that are calculated as the simple product of weights of frequency and volume, with a minimum value of 0 and maximum of 12. The number of points for each product is calculated separately. The points obtained are summed for a group of products that increase the activity of warfarin, and for a group of products that reduce it, and the overall risk score is calculated. The average number of points for the use of products that affect the activity of warfarin in patients with AF with complications of therapy was 75.7831.97 b. The calculation of the design validity of the questionnaire (Cronbachs a=0.864) showed a good level for confirmation purposes.

CONCLUSION

A specialized questionnaire was developed, implemented as a computer program, to assess the significance of food preferences in ensuring the safety and effectiveness of warfarin therapy. Further research is required to determine the risk limit of alimentary interactions of warfarin, but now this questionnaire can be used to monitor the uniformity of consumption of products that affect its activity. The authors suggested using a questionnaire for assessing the risk of food interactions as one of the factors influencing the decision to prescribe warfarin to patients with insufficient adherence to lifestyle modification.

Patients with Atrial Fibrillation in Clinical Practice: Comorbidity, Drug Treatment and Outcomes (Data from RECVASA Registries)

Aim. To study comorbidity, drug therapy and outcomes in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) included in the outpatient and hospital RECVASA registries.Material and methods. Patients with AF (n=3169; age 70.9±10.7 years; 43.1% of men) in whom comorbidity, drug therapy, short-term and longterm outcomes (follow-up period from 2 to 6 years) were included in hospital registers RECVASA AF (Moscow, Kursk, Tula), as well as outpatient registers RECVASA (Ryazan) and RECVASA AF-Yaroslavl.Results. Outpatient registries (n=934), as compared to hospital registries (n=2235), had a higher average age of patients (73.4±10.9 vs 69.9±10.5; p<0.05), the proportion of women ( 66.2% vs 53.0%; p<0.0001) and patients with combination of 3-4 cardiovascular diseases (CVD), including AF (98.0% vs 81.7%, p<0.0001), and also with chronic noncardiac diseases (81.5% vs 63.5%, p<0.0001), the risk of thromboembolic complications (CHA2DS2-VASc 4.65±1.58 vs 4.15±1.71; p<0.05) and hemorrhagic complications (HAS-BLED 1.69±0.75 vs 1.41±0.77; p<0.05), as well as a lower frequency of prescribing appropriate pharmacotherapy for CVD (55.6% vs 74.6%, p<0.0001). During the observation period, 633 (20.0%) patients died, and in 61.8% of cases - from cardiovascular causes. The mortality rate in one year in Moscow was 3.7%, in Yaroslavl - 9.7%, in Ryazan - 10.7%, in Kursk - 12.5% (on average for four registers - 10.3%). A higher risk of death (1.5-2.7 times) was significantly associated with age, male sex, persistent AF, history of myocardial infarction (MI) and acute cerebrovascular accident (ACVE), diabetes mellitus, chronic obstructive disease lungs (COPD), heart rate>80 bpm, systolic blood pressure <110 mm Hg, decreased hemoglobin level. A lower risk of death (1.2-2.4 times) was associated with the prescription of anticoagulants, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), betablockers, statins. The number of cases of stroke and MI was, respectively, 5.1 and 9.4 times less than the number of deaths from all causes. The higher risk of stroke in patients with AF during follow-up was significantly associated with female sex (risk ratio [RR]=1.61), permanent AF (RR=1.85), history of MI (RR=1.68) and ACVA (RR=2.69), HR>80 bpm (RR=1.50). Anticoagulant prescription in women was associated with a lower risk of ACVA (if adjusted for age: RR=0.54; p=0.04), in contrast to men (RR=1.11; p=0.79).Conclusion. The majority of patients with AF registries in 5 regions of Russia had a combination of three or more cardiovascular diseases (73.9%), as well as chronic non-cardiac diseases (68.8%). The frequency of proper cardiovascular pharmacotherapy was insufficient (68.6%), especially at the outpatient stage (55.6%). Over the observation period (2-6 years), the average mortality per year was 10.3%, but at the same time it differed significantly in the regions (from 3.7% in Moscow to 9.7-12.5% in Yaroslavl, Ryazan and Kursk). Cardiovascular causes of deaths occurred in 62%. A higher risk of death (1.5-2.7 times) was associated with a history of stroke and MI, diabetes mellitus, COPD, heart rate>80 bpm, systolic blood pressure <110 mm Hg, decreased hemoglobin level. However, the risk of death decreased by 1.2-2.4 times in cases of prescription of anticoagulants, ACE inhibitors / ARBs, beta-blockers and statins. The risk of ACVA and MI was the highest in the presence of the history of this event (2.7 and 2.6 times, respectively). Anticoagulant prescription was significantly associated with a reduced risk of stroke in women.