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Comparative Study
. 2011 Nov 1;58(19):1975-85.
doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2011.07.036.

Cardiovascular outcomes in the AFFIRM Trial (Atrial Fibrillation Follow-Up Investigation of Rhythm Management). An assessment of individual antiarrhythmic drug therapies compared with rate control with propensity score-matched analyses

Sanjeev Saksena  1 , April Slee, Albert L Waldo, Nick Freemantle, Mathew Reynolds, Yves Rosenberg, Snehal Rathod, Shannon Grant, Elizabeth Thomas, D George Wyse
Affiliations
Comparative Study

Cardiovascular outcomes in the AFFIRM Trial (Atrial Fibrillation Follow-Up Investigation of Rhythm Management). An assessment of individual antiarrhythmic drug therapies compared with rate control with propensity score-matched analyses

Sanjeev Saksena et al. J Am Coll Cardiol. .

Abstract

Objectives: The impact of individual antiarrhythmic drugs (AADs) on mortality and hospital stay in atrial fibrillation (AF) was evaluated.

Background: Cardiovascular (CV) outcomes in AF patients receiving pharmacologic rhythm control therapy have not been compared with rate control therapy on the basis of AAD selection.

Methods: We compared CV outcomes in the AFFIRM (Atrial Fibrillation Follow-Up Investigation of Rhythm Management) trial in subgroups defined by the initial AAD selected with propensity score matched subgroups from the rate arm (Rate).

Results: Seven hundred twenty-nine amiodarone patients, 606 sotalol patients, and 268 Class 1C patients were matched. The composite outcome of mortality or cardiovascular hospital stays (CVH) showed better outcomes with Rate compared with amiodarone (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.18, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.03 to 1.36, p = 0.02), sotalol (HR: 1.32, 95% CI: 1.13 to 1.54, p < 0.001), and Class 1C (HR: 1.22, 95% CI: 0.97 to 1.56, p = 0.10). There was a nonsignificant increase in mortality with amiodarone (HR: 1.20, 95% CI: 0.94 to 1.53, p = 0.15) with the risk of non-CV death being significantly higher with amiodarone versus Rate (HR: 1.11, 95% CI: 1.01 to 1.24, p = 0.04). First CVH event rates at 3 years were 47% for amiodarone, 50% for sotalol, and 44% for Class 1C versus 40%, 40%, and 36%, respectively, for Rate (amiodarone HR: 1.20, 95% CI: 1.03 to 1.40, p = 0.02, sotalol HR: 1.364, 95% CI: 1.16 to 1.611, p < 0.001, Class 1C HR: 1.24, 95% CI: 0.96 to 1.60, p = 0.09). Time to CVH with intensive care unit stay or death was shorter with amiodarone (HR: 1.22, 95% CI: 1.02 to 1.46, p = 0.03).

Conclusions: In AFFIRM, composite mortality and CVH outcomes differed for Rate and AADs due to differences in CVH; CVH event rates during follow-up were high for all cohorts, but they were higher for all groups on AADs. Death, intensive care unit hospital stay, and non-CV death were more frequent with amiodarone.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00000556.

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Conflict of interest statement

Drs Reynolds and Freemantle are consultants for sanofi Aventis. Ms. Slee, Dr. Y. Rosenberg, Ms. S. Grant, Ms. E. Thomas, and Mr. S. Rathod have no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Comparison of Composite Principal Outcome: Individual Antirarrhythmic Drugs versus Rate
Hazard ratios and Kaplan Meier survival analyses comparing individual antiarrhythmic drugs (AADs) with matched rate cohorts for the composite principal outcome (Time to First CV Hospitalization or Death). Individual panels are shown as follows:

  1. Hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals (HR=Rhythm drug/Rate).

  2. Propensity score matched Rate and amiodarone subgroups

  3. Propensity score matched Rate and sotalol subgroups

  4. Propensity score matched Rate and class1C subgroups.

All AADs and matched rate cohorts show substantial event rates for the principal outcome during follow-up but all AADs studied had a higher risk of events during follow-up.
Figure 2
Figure 2. First CV Hospitalization: Individual Antirarrhythmic Drugs versus Rate
Panel A: Hazard ratios and Kaplan Meier survival analyses comparing individual antiarrhythmic drugs (AADS) with matched rate cohorts for a component of principal outcome - Time to First CV Hospitalization Individual panels are shown as follows

  1. Hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals (HR=Rhythm drug/Rate).

  2. Propensity score matched Rate and amiodarone subgroups

  3. Propensity score matched Rate and sotalol subgroups

  4. Propensity score matched Rate and class 1C subgroups.

All AADs and matched rate cohorts show substantial event rates during follow-up but all AADs studied had a significantly higher risk of a first CV hospitalization during follow-up. Panel B: Mortality: Individual Antirarrhythmic Drugs versus Rate Hazard ratios and Kaplan Meier survival analyses comparing individual antiarrhythmic drugs with matched rate cohorts for a component of principal outcome - Time to Death Individual panels are shown as follows

  1. Hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals (HR=Rhythm drug/Rate).

  2. Propensity score matched Rate and amiodarone subgroups

  3. Propensity score matched Rate and sotalol subgroups

  4. Propensity score matched Rate and class 1C subgroups.

Sotalol and Class 1C groups and matched rate cohorts show comparable event rates for risk of death during follow-up, but there is a non-significant increase in mortality with amiodarone compared to its matched rate cohort.
Figure 2
Figure 2. First CV Hospitalization: Individual Antirarrhythmic Drugs versus Rate
Panel A: Hazard ratios and Kaplan Meier survival analyses comparing individual antiarrhythmic drugs (AADS) with matched rate cohorts for a component of principal outcome - Time to First CV Hospitalization Individual panels are shown as follows

  1. Hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals (HR=Rhythm drug/Rate).

  2. Propensity score matched Rate and amiodarone subgroups

  3. Propensity score matched Rate and sotalol subgroups

  4. Propensity score matched Rate and class 1C subgroups.

All AADs and matched rate cohorts show substantial event rates during follow-up but all AADs studied had a significantly higher risk of a first CV hospitalization during follow-up. Panel B: Mortality: Individual Antirarrhythmic Drugs versus Rate Hazard ratios and Kaplan Meier survival analyses comparing individual antiarrhythmic drugs with matched rate cohorts for a component of principal outcome - Time to Death Individual panels are shown as follows

  1. Hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals (HR=Rhythm drug/Rate).

  2. Propensity score matched Rate and amiodarone subgroups

  3. Propensity score matched Rate and sotalol subgroups

  4. Propensity score matched Rate and class 1C subgroups.

Sotalol and Class 1C groups and matched rate cohorts show comparable event rates for risk of death during follow-up, but there is a non-significant increase in mortality with amiodarone compared to its matched rate cohort.
Figure 3
Figure 3. Secondary Composite Outcome (ICU Hospitalizations or Death): Individual Antirarrhythmic Drugs versus Rate
Panel A: Hazard ratios and Kaplan Meier survival analyses comparing individual antiarrhythmic drugs (AADs) with matched rate cohorts for secondary composite outcome - Time to First Hospitalization with intensive care unit stay (ICUH) or Death Individual panels are shown as follows

  1. Hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals (HR=Rhythm drug/Rate).

  2. Propensity score matched Rate and amiodarone subgroups

  3. Propensity score matched Rate and sotalol subgroups

  4. Propensity score matched Rate and c 1C subgroups.

Composite outcome shows time to ICUH or death was shorter with amiodarone but not with sotalol or class 1C versus Rate during follow-up. Panel B: Comparison of ICU Hospitalizations: Individual Antirarrhythmic Drugs versus Rate Hazard ratios and Kaplan Meier survival analyses comparing individual antiarrhythmic drugs with matched rate cohorts for secondary outcome - Time to First ICU Hospitalization (ICUH) Individual panels are shown as follows

  1. Hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals (HR=Rhythm drug/Rate).

  2. Propensity score matched Rate and amiodarone subgroups

  3. Propensity score matched Rate and sotalol subgroups

  4. Propensity score matched Rate and class1C subgroups.

Time to ICUH was comparable for sotalol and Class 1C groups compared to matched rate cohorts but a non-significant increased risk was seen with amiodarone compared to rate during follow-up.
Figure 3
Figure 3. Secondary Composite Outcome (ICU Hospitalizations or Death): Individual Antirarrhythmic Drugs versus Rate
Panel A: Hazard ratios and Kaplan Meier survival analyses comparing individual antiarrhythmic drugs (AADs) with matched rate cohorts for secondary composite outcome - Time to First Hospitalization with intensive care unit stay (ICUH) or Death Individual panels are shown as follows

  1. Hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals (HR=Rhythm drug/Rate).

  2. Propensity score matched Rate and amiodarone subgroups

  3. Propensity score matched Rate and sotalol subgroups

  4. Propensity score matched Rate and c 1C subgroups.

Composite outcome shows time to ICUH or death was shorter with amiodarone but not with sotalol or class 1C versus Rate during follow-up. Panel B: Comparison of ICU Hospitalizations: Individual Antirarrhythmic Drugs versus Rate Hazard ratios and Kaplan Meier survival analyses comparing individual antiarrhythmic drugs with matched rate cohorts for secondary outcome - Time to First ICU Hospitalization (ICUH) Individual panels are shown as follows

  1. Hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals (HR=Rhythm drug/Rate).

  2. Propensity score matched Rate and amiodarone subgroups

  3. Propensity score matched Rate and sotalol subgroups

  4. Propensity score matched Rate and class1C subgroups.

Time to ICUH was comparable for sotalol and Class 1C groups compared to matched rate cohorts but a non-significant increased risk was seen with amiodarone compared to rate during follow-up.
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References

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