Elevated Incidence of Atrial Fibrillation and Stroke in Patients With Atrial Flutter-A Population-Based Study

Abstract

Background: The risk of stroke from atrial flutter and its relationship with progression to atrial fibrillation (AF) is unclear. This study describes the incidence of AF and stroke in patients with atrial flutter, and whether atrial flutter ablation attenuates the incidence of AF and stroke.

Methods: We performed a population-based retrospective cohort study of adults with typical atrial flutter with no AF history. Using linked health administrative databases we defined 3 cohorts: (1) adult patients diagnosed with new isolated atrial flutter; (2) a contemporary, 1-to-1 matched cohort from the Ontario population; and (3) patients with isolated atrial flutter who underwent atrial flutter ablation.

Results: A total of 9339 new typical atrial flutter patients were identified and 7248 were matched to general population subjects. Over the 3-year follow-up, AF occurred in 40.4% of patients with atrial flutter, and 3.3% of the matched general population (rate ratio, 12.2; P < 0.001). Stroke occurred in 4.1% of patients with atrial flutter and 1.2% of the general population cohort (rate ratio, 3.4; P < 0.001). Among 218 patients who had an atrial flutter ablation, AF occurred in 47 (21.6%) over the following 3 years, and incidence of stroke was between 0 and 2.3%.

Conclusions: Patients with isolated atrial flutter develop AF and stroke at a higher rate than the general population. Catheter ablation reduces but does not eliminate future AF incidence and stroke risk and continued anticoagulation after successful atrial flutter ablation might therefore be warranted.