Cohort profile: the ESC EURObservational Research Programme Atrial Fibrillation III (AF III) Registry

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Clinical Research
• Public Health

Background:

• Atrial Fibrillation (AF) is a prevalent arrhythmia requiring optimal management.
• Current clinical practice patterns and guideline adherence in AF management are not fully characterized.
• The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) developed guidelines to standardize AF care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify contemporary patterns in AF management.
• To assess compliance with 2016 ESC AF Guidelines and identify implementation gaps.
• To compare 1-year outcomes of guideline-adherent versus non-adherent management strategies.

Main Methods:

• Prospective, international registry (EORP-AF III) of 8306 adult AF patients across 192 centres in 31 countries.
• Data collected on patient demographics, AF characteristics, diagnostics, treatments, integrated management, and outcomes (death, stroke, bleeding, quality of life).
• 1-year follow-up data were collected for all participants.

Main Results:

• The registry enrolled 8306 AF patients between July 2018 and July 2019.
• Comprehensive data were collected across eight key domains, including management strategies and patient outcomes.
• Analysis focused on comparing guideline adherence and its impact on patient outcomes.

Conclusions:

• The EORP-AF III Registry provides insights into contemporary AF management practices.
• It highlights the extent of ESC AF Guidelines implementation in routine clinical practice.
• Understanding barriers to optimal AF management is crucial for this prevalent arrhythmia.