title: Impact of atrial fibrillation on mortality in patients with chronic heart failure.
abstract: Chronic heart failure and atrial fibrillation often occur together. The aim of the study is to review the available literature on the impact of atrial fibrillation on mortality in patients with heart failure. Using MEDLINE six full papers were identified. In the studies with severe heart failure atrial fibrillation did not emerge as an independent predictor of mortality beyond standard clinical variables. In contrast, atrial fibrillation was associated with increased mortality in case of mild-to-moderate heart failure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Thorax Centre, University Hospital Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands. m.p.van.den.berg@thorax.azg.nl
authors.forename: Maarten P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: van den Berg
authors.forename: Isabelle C
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: van Gelder
authors.forename: Dirk J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: van Veldhuisen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000401:mortality* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000401:mortality* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000502:physiology