Atrial Arrhythmia Recurrence After First Direct-Current Cardioversion in People With Atrial Flutter

Risk factors for recurrence of atrial arrhythmia following first direct-current cardioversion (DCCV) is not well understood. Therefore, we created a clinical predictive risk score for recurrence after the first DCCV in AFL.

Individuals with atrial arrhythmia who underwent DCCV were prospectively enrolled in our Veterans Affairs EP database (2002-2016). Time to recurrence in AF versus AFL was compared using Kaplan-Meier analysis and log-rank test. The AFL cohort was divided into derivation (60%) and validation (40%) cohorts. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards (CPH) model was used to identify covariates associated with increased hazards of recurrence (HR, 95% CI). The REAL-PDX risk score was created and tested in the AFL validation cohort.

There were 860 individuals with atrial arrhythmias who underwent their first-time DCCV. The median time to recurrence was 3.4 months (95% CI 2.6-4.7) in the AF cohort (n = 572), and 1.7 years (1.4-2.2) in the AFL cohort (n = 288). The CPH analysis of the AFL derivation cohort (n = 176) revealed that CKD (HR 2.42; 95% CI 1.41-4.14), every 1 year of older age (1.03; 1.01-1.06), LA dilation (1.60; 1.00-2.55; p < 0.05), and > 1 year since diagnosis (2.10; 1.22-3.61) were independently associated with increased risk of recurrence. BMI, OSA, hypertension, cerebrovascular disease, COPD, and heart failure did not affect the hazards of recurrence. REAL-PDX risk score (REnal disease, Age ≥ 65, LA dilation, Prior DX) incorporated one point for each factor. REAL-PDX stratified by ≥ 3 versus < 3 in the AFL validation cohort (n = 112) showed significantly shorter median time to recurrence (125 vs. 800 days; p < 0.001) and higher risk of recurrence of atrial arrhythmia (3.74; 1.93-7.24).

This simple REAL-PDX risk score allows prediction of higher risk of recurrence, which can help guide continued anticoagulation, early cavotricuspid isthmus ablation, or perhaps pulmonary vein isolation.