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Published on: February 26, 2013
[Prevalence, incidence and predictive factors of atrial fibrillation in geriatric patients-A prospective
1Fachklinik für Geriatrie, St. Elisabeth Krankenhaus, Bahnhofstraße 19, 99976, Lengenfeld unterm Stein, Deutschland. M.Goetze@kh-lengenfeld.de.
Insights
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is common in older adults. This study found that 6.1% of geriatric patients admitted to a clinic were newly diagnosed with AF, with age over 80 and heart failure being key risk factors.
Area of Science:
- Geriatric Medicine
- Cardiology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a prevalent cardiac arrhythmia with significant implications for geriatric populations.
- Demographic shifts underscore the importance of understanding AF prevalence and incidence in older adults.
- Existing data on AF in this demographic requires further investigation regarding new diagnoses during healthcare encounters.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of a known history of atrial fibrillation (AF) in geriatric patients.
- To ascertain the incidence of newly diagnosed AF during an inpatient geriatric clinic stay.
- To identify predictive factors for new-onset AF in elderly patients.
Main Methods:
- A monocentric prospective observational study was conducted from April 2021 to April 2022.
- Data was collected from digital patient files of all admissions to a geriatric clinic.
- Standard 12-lead ECG and 24-hour long-term ECG (LTECG) were utilized for diagnosis.
Main Results:
- Out of 1914 participants, 715 (37.4%) had a prior diagnosis of AF.
- New-onset AF was detected in 73 (6.1%) of 1199 patients without a prior history.
- Age over 80 years (OR: 2.3) and heart failure (OR: 3.5) were significant risk factors for new AF incidence.
Conclusions:
- A significant proportion of geriatric patients (6.1%) experienced new AF diagnoses during their clinic stay.
- Advanced age (>80 years) and the presence of heart failure are strongly associated with AF incidence.
- These findings highlight the need for targeted AF screening in elderly patients, particularly those with identified risk factors.
Background And Question:
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia in the total population, and previous studies have already reported the prevalence of AF; however, AF is of special importance in geriatric patients due to demographic changes. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine how many geriatric patients have a history of AF (prevalence) and how often AF can be newly diagnosed during an inpatient stay (incidence). Additionally, predictive factors for the incidence of AF in geriatric patients are described.
Study Participants And Methods:
In a monocentric prospective observational study from April 2021 to April 2022, all admissions to a geriatric clinic were included in the study. Data collection was carried out using the patients' digital files. As part of the admission routine, all patients had a 12-lead ECG recorded. Additionally, a 24‑h long-term electrocardiogram (LTECG) was used in a subset of patients depending on the clinical need.
Results:
A total of 1914 participants were included in the study. At the time of admission, 715 (37.4%) patients had a known history of AF. Of the remaining 1199 patients without a history of AF, AF could be newly detected in 73 cases (6.1%). Multivariate regression analysis identified age > 80 years (odds ratio, OR: 2.3) and heart failure (OR: 3.5) as significant risk factors for the incidence of AF (each p < 0.05).
Conclusion:
Despite an already high prevalence, AF was newly diagnosed in 6% of patients during the stay at a geriatric clinic. Heart failure and age above 80 years were significantly associated with the presence of AF. This should be taken into account when screening for AF in this patient population.
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