title: The atrial fibrillation in Turkey: Epidemiologic Registry (AFTER).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  AFTER (Atrial Fibrillation in Turkey: Epidemiologic Registry) is a prospective, multicenter study designed with the aim of describing the prevalence and epidemiology of AF practice in Turkey. This study aims to evaluate stroke risk in non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF) and anticoagulant drug utilization within conformity to AF guidelines.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients were recruited in 17 referral hospitals reflecting all the population of 7 geographical regions of Turkey. 2242 consecutive patients who had been admitted with AF on ECG were included in the study. 1745 of these patients, who had non-valvular AF, were included in the statistical evaluation. Stroke risk was evaluated with the CHA2DS2-VASc score.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average age of participants was determined to be 69.2 ± 11.5 years (56% female). Persistent-permanent AF was found to be the most common type of non-valvular AF (78%). The most common comorbid disorder was hypertension (73%). It was found that oral anticoagulant therapy was used by 40% of all patients, 37% of whom had effective INR (2.0-3.0). Upon multivariate analysis, age was found to be the only independent predictor of stroke among the variables' effects on thromboembolic events that created CHA2DS2-VASc abbreviations (OR 1.026, p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that stroke risk scores should be thoroughly heeded based on guidelines, and that anticoagulation must be applied according to their guidance.
authors.affiliation: Medical School of Dicle University. farukertas@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Faruk
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ertas
authors.forename: Nihan Kahya
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Eren
authors.forename: Hasan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kaya
authors.forename: Alpay
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aribas
authors.forename: Goksel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Acar
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kanadasi
authors.forename: Selcuk
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gedik
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oylumlu
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yuksel
authors.forename: Mehmet Siddik
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Ulgen
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D015897:Comorbidity; D017723:Drug Utilization Review; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D006801:Humans; D019934:International Normalized Ratio; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016017:Odds Ratio; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012042:Registries; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014421:Turkey
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants