title: Significance of recurrences of new atrial fibrillation in acute myocardial infarction.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although new-onset atrial fibrillation (AF) frequently recurs following the acute myocardial infarction, the significance of AF recurrences is unknown.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective of the present study was to evaluate the incidence, clinical predictors and prognostic significance of AF recurrences following the acute myocardial infarction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 320 consecutive patients with AF following the acute myocardial infarction were evaluated and the patients with AF recurrences were compared to those with single episodes of AF in whom AF did not recur after restoration of sinus rhythm. The incidence of AF recurrences was 22.5%. AF recurrences were highly associated with congestive heart failure and worse Killip class was identified as the most important predictor of AF recurrences. Patients with AF recurrences had poorer outcome, including higher in-hospital (36.1% versus 12.9%) and 7-year (68.2% versus 48.6%) mortality. After multivariate adjustment, AF recurrence remained an independent predictor of in-hospital [odds ratio (OR) = 3.08, 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.45-6.53, p = 0.001], and 7-year [relative risk (RR) = 1.52, 95% CI, 1.00-2.31, p = 0.026] mortality.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  New-onset AF frequently recurs following the acute myocardial infarction and our analysis demonstrated that recurrences of AF independently predicted in-hospital and long-term mortality.
authors: University Institute for Cardiovascular Disease, Clinical Center of Serbia, Emergency Center, Belgrade, Serbia&Montenegro. masanin@Eunet.yu
authors: Milika
authors: M
authors: Asanin
authors: Jovan
authors: J
authors: Perunicic
authors: Igor
authors: I
authors: Mrdovic
authors: Mihailo
authors: M
authors: Matic
authors: Bosiljka
authors: B
authors: Vujisic-Tesic
authors: Aleksandra
authors: A
authors: Arandjelovic
authors: Ana
authors: A
authors: Vojvodic
authors: Jelena
authors: J
authors: Marinkovic
authors: Miodrag
authors: M
authors: Ostojic
authors: Zorana
authors: Z
authors: Vasiljevic
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D012008:Recurrence; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D015996:Survival Rate; D013997:Time Factors