Mortality, Hospitalization, and Cardiac Interventions in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation Aged <65 Years

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The risk factor (RF) burden, clinical course, and long-term outcome among patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) aged <65 years is unclear. METHODS: Adult (n=67 221; mean age, 72.4±12.3 years; and 45% women) patients with AF evaluated at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center between January 2010 and December 2019 were studied. Hospital system–wide electronic health records and administrative data were utilized to ascertain RFs, comorbidities, and subsequent hospitalization and cardiac interventions. The association of AF with all-cause mortality among those aged <65 years was analyzed using an internal contemporary cohort of patients without AF (n=918 073). RESULTS: Nearly one-quarter (n=17 335) of the cohort was aged <65 years (32% women) with considerable cardiovascular RFs (current smoker, 16%; mean body mass index, 33.0±8.3; hypertension, 55%; diabetes, 21%; heart failure, 20%; coronary artery disease, 19%; and prior ischemic stroke, 6%) and comorbidity burden (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, 11%; obstructive sleep apnea, 18%; and chronic kidney disease, 1.3%). Over mean follow-up of >5 years, 2084 (6.7%, <50 years; 13%, 50–65 years) patients died. The proportion of patients with >1 hospitalization for myocardial infarction, heart failure, and stroke was 1.3%, 4.8%, and 1.1% for those aged <50 years and 2.2%, 7.4%, and 1.1% for the 50- to 65-year subgroup, respectively. Multiple cardiac and noncardiac RFs were associated with increased mortality in younger patients with AF with heart failure and hypertension demonstrating significant age-related interaction ( P =0.007 and P =0.013, respectively). Patients with AF aged <65 years experienced significantly worse survival compared with comorbidity-adjusted patients without AF (men aged <50 years and hazard ratio, 1.5 [95% CI, 1.24–1.79]; 50–65 years and hazard ratio, 1.3 [95% CI, 1.26–1.43]; women aged <50 years and hazard ratio, 2.4 [95% CI, 1.82–3.16]; 50–65 years and hazard ratio, 1.7 [95% CI, 1.6–1.92]). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with AF aged <65 years have significant comorbidity burden and considerable long-term mortality. They are also at a significantly increased risk of hospitalization for heart failure, stroke, and myocardial infarction. These patients warrant an aggressive focus on RF and comorbidity evaluation and management.