title: Screening for atrial fibrillation in general practice: a national, cross-sectional study of an innovative technology.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To test the use of three lead monitoring as a screening tool for atrial fibrillation (AF) in general practice. AF is responsible for up to a quarter of all strokes and is often asymptomatic until a stroke occurs.
  
  
  METHODS
  26 randomly selected general practices identified 80 randomly selected patients aged 70 or older from their database and excluded those known to have AF, those with clinical issues or who had not attended for three years. Up to 40 eligible patients/practice were invited to attend for screening. A 2min three-lead ECG was recorded and collected centrally for expert cardiology assessment. Risk factor data was gathered.
  
  
  RESULTS
  (i) point prevalence of AF, (ii) proportion of ECG tracings which were adequate for interpretation, (iii) uptake rate by patients and (iv) acceptability of the screening process to patients and staff (reported separately).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 1447 current patients, 1003 were eligible for inclusion, 639 (64%) agreed to take part in screening and 566 (56%) completed screening. The point prevalence rate for AF was 10.3%-2.1% new cases (12 of 566 who were screened) and 9.5% existing cases (137 of 1447 eligible patients). Only four of 570 (0.7%) screening visits did not record a usable ECG and 11 (2.6%) three lead ECGs required a clarifying 12 lead ECG.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Three lead screening for AF is feasible, effective and offers an alternative to pulse taking or 12 lead ECGs. The availability of this technology may facilitate more effective screening, leading to reduced stroke incidence.
authors.affiliation: University College Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Gerard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bury
authors.affiliation: University College Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Davina
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Swan
authors.affiliation: University of Limerick, Ireland.
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Cullen
authors.affiliation: University College Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Keane
authors.affiliation: University College Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tobin
authors.affiliation: University College Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Mairead
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Egan
authors.affiliation: University of Birmingham, UK.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fitzmaurice
authors.affiliation: University College Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Crea
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Carberry
authors.affiliation: University College Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Cecily
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kelleher
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000639:trends*; D005260:Female; D058006:General Practice / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000639:trends*
keywords: Atrial fibrillation; General practice; Screening; Three-lead ECG