title: Prospective comparison of flecainide versus sotalol for immediate cardioversion of atrial fibrillation.
abstract: This study sought to compare the efficacy and safety of intravenous flecainide and sotalol for immediate cardioversion of atrial fibrillation. We performed a prospective, randomized, single-blind, multicenter trial, including 106 hemodynamically stable patients with atrial fibrillation, stratified according to duration of the arrhythmia. Exclusion criteria included severely reduced left ventricular systolic function, recent antiarrhythmic therapy, and hypokalemia. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either intravenous flecainide or intravenous sotalol. Trial medication was given at a dose of 1.5 mg/kg body weight (maximum 150 mg). Overall, 28 of 54 patients (52%) given flecainide and 12 of 52 patients (23%) given sotalol converted to sinus rhythm during the first 2 hours after start of the infusion (p = 0.003). Multivariate analysis confirmed that treatment allocation to flecainide, an arrhythmia duration of < or = 24 hours, higher plasma magnesium level at baseline, higher age for men, and lower age for women independently increases the probability of conversion. The frequency of adverse effects was not significantly different in the 2 treatment groups.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Krankenhaus Barmherzige Schwestern, Linz, Austria.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Reisinger
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gatterer
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Heinze
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wiesinger
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zeindlhofer
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gattermeier
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Poelzl
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kratzer
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ebner
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hohenwallner
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lenz
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Slany
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kuhn
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005424:Flecainide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D013015:Sotalol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; D013015:Sotalol; D005424:Flecainide