Shanghai Jiao Tong University Reports Findings in COVID-19 (Epidemiology, management, and outcomes of atrial fibrillation among 30 million citizens in Shanghai, China from 2015 to 2020: A medical insurance database study): Coronavirus – COVID-19

2022 MAY 19 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at NewsRx COVID-19 Daily -- New research on Coronavirus - COVID-19 is the subject of a report. According to news reporting originating in Shanghai, People’s Republic of China, by NewsRx journalists, research stated, “Atrial fibrillation(AF) has become a significant public health concern in China, with population aging and urbanization. Data screening was performed for 30,244,930 subjects with medical insurance in the Shanghai Municipal Health Commission database between 2015 and 2020.”

The news reporters obtained a quote from the research from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, “Patients diagnosed with AF were identified and further assessed for treatment information and clinical outcomes, as well as sex differences and impact of COVID-19 pandemic on AF managment. AF prevalence was 0.88% in Shanghai, which increased with age and reached 6.70% at subjects 80 years and over. AF was more prevalent in women compared with men (0.89% vs. 0.88%, p<0.0001), which could be attributed to higher AF burden in women over 80 years. Driven by increased prescription of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants, anticoagulant use increased from 19.46% in 2015 to 56.57% in 2020. The number of left atrial appendage closure increased from 0.16% in 2015 to 1.23% in 2020. Rhythm control strategy was increasingly adopted, as the use of antiarrhythmic drugs doubled and ablation increased by 21% in 2020 compared to 2015. Compared with men, women were less prone to receive rhythm control treatments, including antiarrhythmics, ablation and cardioversion, but more likely to adopt rate control drugs. During the 5.5 years follow-up, the incidences of stroke, transient ischemic attack, systemic embolism, bleeding, myocardial infarction, and in-hospital death were 6.09%, 5.74%, 1.44%, 5.11%, 8.41%, and 12.84% in patients with index diagnosis of AF in 2015, respectively. The burdens of AF and AF-related outcomes in Shanghai are high. Management of AF is markedly improved in recent years, and was not or only slightly impeded by the COVID-19 pandemic. There are sex differences in the prevalence, management, and outcomes of AF.”

According to the news reporters, the research concluded: “Shanghai Hospital Development Center, National Natural Science Foundation of China and Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Commission.”

For more information on this research see: Epidemiology, management, and outcomes of atrial fibrillation among 30 million citizens in Shanghai, China from 2015 to 2020: A medical insurance database study. The Lancet Regional Health - Western Pacific, 2022;23:100470. The Lancet Regional Health - Western Pacific can be contacted at: Elsevier, Radarweg 29, 1043 Nx Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Our news correspondents report that additional information may be obtained by contacting Cheng Li, Dept. of Cardiology, Xinhua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China. Additional authors for this research include Mu Chen, Peng Liao, Xin Cui, Wenqi Tian, Qunshan Wang, Jian Sun, Mei Yang, Li Luo, Hong Wu and Yi-Gang Li.

The direct object identifier (DOI) for that additional information is: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lanwpc.2022.100470. This DOI is a link to an online electronic document that is either free or for purchase, and can be your direct source for a journal article and its citation.

The publisher of the journal The Lancet Regional Health - Western Pacific can be contacted at: Elsevier, Radarweg 29, 1043 Nx Amsterdam, Netherlands.

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