The Risk Factors Of Ischemic Stroke In Patients With Nonvalvular Atrial Fibrillation

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study is to provide the clinical references of prevention and therapy for patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) from Guangxi Yulin region, by identifying the risk factors of ischemic stroke in these patients and investigating the status of drug therapy.METHODS A total of 242 patients who had been diagnosed as NVAF were studied retrospectively. The ages of the patients ranged from 39 to 95 years, with an average age of 70.41±11.41 years. There were 146 men and 94 women. The type of atrial fibrillation (AF), basic diseases (diabetes, hypertension, coronary heart disease, and cardiomyopathy), cardiac function classification (NYHA grading), heart color doppler, the prevalence of ischemic stroke, the therapy situation of antithrombotic and ventricular rate or rhythm control were analyzed. In order to identify the risk factors of ischemic stroke in patients with NVAF, the clinical characteristics were also compared between the patients with and without ischemic stroke.RESULTS①The risk factors of ischemic stroke in patients with NVAF: univariate analysis shows that the risk factors for ischemic stroke in patients with NVAF were age (75 years and older), hypertension, diabetes, coronary heart disease, as well as left atrial thrombi. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the independent risk factors for ischemic stroke in patients with NVAF were age (75 years and older, P = 0.001,OR 3.353, 95%CI 1.682,6.683), hypertension (P < 0.001,OR 3.926, 95%CI 1.977, 7.798), and diabetes (P = 0.011,OR 3.055, 95%CI 1.293,7.221).②Of 242 patients with NVAF, 61.1% were treated with antithrombotic drugs (58.7% for antiplatelet and 2.5% for anticoagulants); 58.7% were treated for control ventricular rate (40.5%) or rhythm (18.2%).CONCLUSION The present study shows that the independent risk factors of ischemic stroke in patients with NVAF from Guangxi Yulin region are age (75 years and older), hypertension, and diabetes. Most of the patients with NVAF were treated for control ventricular rate and antiplatelet. But the rate of anticoagulant therapy with warfarin is low.