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Updated: Nov 23, 2025

Catheter Ablation in Combination With Left Atrial Appendage Closure for Atrial Fibrillation
Published on: February 26, 2013
Prevalence and Determinants of Atrial Fibrillation-Associated In-Hospital Ischemic Stroke in Patients With Acute
Shivaraj Patil1, Karthik Gonuguntla1, Chaitanya Rojulpote2
1Department of Internal Medicine, University of Connecticut, Farmington, Connecticut.
Insights
Atrial fibrillation (AF) increases the risk of in-hospital ischemic stroke (IH-IS) in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for acute myocardial infarction (AMI). This rare complication is more common in older females with AF.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Neurology
- Health Services Research
Background:
- Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a known risk factor for ischemic stroke (IS).
- IS can rarely complicate percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for acute myocardial infarction (AMI).
- Limited real-world data exists on AF-associated in-hospital IS (IH-IS) in AMI patients undergoing PCI.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of AF-associated IH-IS in patients admitted with AMI undergoing PCI.
- To compare risk factors for IH-IS between patients with and without AF.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the National Inpatient Sample database (2010-2014).
- Identified patients admitted with AMI who underwent PCI.
- Employed multivariable logistic regression to compare risk factors for IH-IS based on AF status.
Main Results:
- IH-IS occurred in 0.46% of 1,282,829 AMI patients undergoing PCI.
- Prevalence of IH-IS was higher in patients with AF (1.05%) versus without AF (0.4%; aOR=1.634).
- IH-IS risk increased with female sex and older age, irrespective of AF status. Obesity was a risk factor in AF patients, while renal disease, malignancy, and PVD were in non-AF patients.
Conclusions:
- IH-IS is a rare complication of PCI for AMI, with higher incidence in AF patients.
- Females and older adults face increased IH-IS risk, regardless of AF.
- Risk factor profiles for IH-IS show some heterogeneity between AF and non-AF cohorts.
Abstract:
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is an established risk factor ischemic stroke (IS) and is commonly encountered in patient hospitalized with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Uncommonly, IS can occur as a complication resulting from percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). There is limited real world data regarding AF-associated in-hospital IS (IH-IS) in patients admitted with AMI undergoing PCI. We queried the National Inpatient Sample database from January 2010 to December 2014 to identify patients admitted with AMI who underwent PCI. In this cohort, we determined the prevalence of AF associated IH-IS and compared risk factors for IH-IS between patients with AF and without AF using multivariable logistic regression models. IH-IS was present in 0.46% (n = 5,938) of the patients with AMI undergoing PCI (n = 1,282,829). Prevalence of IH-IS in patients with AF was higher compared with patients without AF (1.05% vs 0.4%; adjusted odds ratio: 1.634, 95% confidence interval: 1.527 to 1.748, p <0.001). Regardless of AF status, prevalence and risk of IH-IS was higher in females and increased with advancing age. There was significant overlap among risk-factors associated with increased risk of IH-IS in AF and non-AF cohorts, except for obesity in AF patients (adjusted odds ratio: 1.268, 95% confidence interval: 1.023 to 1.572, p = 0.03) in contrast to renal disease, malignancy, and peripheral vascular disease in non-AF patients. In conclusion, IH-IS is a rare complication affecting patients undergoing PCI for AMI and is more likely to occur in AF patients, females, and older adults, with heterogeneity among risk factors in patients with and without AF.
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