Clinical characteristics and outcomes of dialysis patients with atrial fibrillation: the Fushimi AF Registry

Abstract

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is common in dialysis patients. However, clinical characteristics and outcomes of dialysis patients with AF are poorly understood. The Fushimi AF Registry is a community-based prospective survey of AF patients in Japan. Follow-up data were available for 3713 patients with a median follow-up of 2.8 years. We compared clinical characteristics and outcomes between the dialysis group (n = 92; 2.5 %) and others. The dialysis group had more various co-morbidities, with a mean CHADS₂ score of 2.5, and the rate of warfarin prescription was 38 %. The annual incidence rates of stroke or systemic embolism (SE), major bleeding, and all-cause death in the dialysis group were 4.0, 5.1, and 20.9 per 100 person-years, respectively. There was no significant difference in the incidence rate of stroke/SE between the dialysis group and the non-dialysis group [hazard ratio (HR) 1.74 (95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.74-3.42)]. The incidence rates of major bleeding, all-cause death, and the composite of stroke/SE and all-cause death in the dialysis group were higher than those in the non-dialysis group [major bleeding: HR 3.09 (95 % CI 1.46-5.72), all-cause death: HR 3.51 (95 % CI 2.48-4.81), the composite of stroke/SE and all-cause death: HR 2.99 (95 % CI 2.15-4.05)]. Among dialysis patients, warfarin did not affect major clinical events including stroke/SE, bleeding or all-cause death. Among AF patients, those receiving dialysis showed higher incidence of major bleeding and all-cause death compared with non-dialysis patients, but the risk of stroke/SE was not particularly high.

Clinical trial registration: URL: http://www.umin.ac.jp/ctr/index.htm .

Keywords: Atrial fibrillation; Bleeding; Dialysis; Oral anticoagulant; Stroke.