title: 'Real-world' atrial fibrillation management in Europe: observations from the 2-year follow-up of the EURObservational Research Programme-Atrial Fibrillation General Registry Pilot Phase.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Atrial fibrillation (AF) is commonly associated with a high risk of stroke, thromboembolism, and mortality. The 1-year follow-up of the EURObservational Research Programme-Atrial Fibrillation (EORP-AF) Pilot Registry demonstrated a high mortality but good outcomes with European Society of Cardiology guideline-adherent therapy. Whether these 'real-world' observations on patients managed by European cardiologists extend to 2 years remains uncertain.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In this report from the EORP-AF General Registry Pilot Phase, we provide data on the 2-year follow-up outcomes. Consistent with the 1-year follow-up report, only a small proportion of patients were symptomatic (24.9%), with minor differences between the different AF subtypes. Persistence of oral anticoagulant (OAC) therapy remains high at 2-years, with ∼80% of patients treated with OAC. The prescribing rates of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants are progressively increasing (13.7% at 2 years). Rate and rhythm control approaches remained consistent across the entire follow-up observation. Overall mortality rates remained high, with 5.0% of patients dead during the 2-year follow-up, mostly due to cardiovascular causes (61.8%). Atrial fibrillation readmissions were frequent, particularly related to arrhythmias and heart failure. On multivariate analyses, any cardiovascular reason for admission rather than AF was significantly associated with increased mortality during the 2-year follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this 2-year follow-up report from EORP-AF, mortality rates with AF remain high from cardiovascular causes, despite the high prevalent use of OAC. Improved management strategies to reduce major adverse outcomes in AF patients are needed.
authors.affiliation: University of Birmingham, Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, City Hospital, Dudley Road, B18 7QH Birmingham, UK.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Proietti
authors.affiliation: EURObservational Research Programme Department, European Society of Cardiology, Sophia Antipolis, France.
authors.forename: Cécile
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Laroche
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Grzegorz
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Opolski
authors.affiliation: EURObservational Research Programme Department, European Society of Cardiology, Sophia Antipolis, France.|ANMCO Research Center, Firenze, Italy.
authors.forename: Aldo P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Maggioni
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, Institute of Cardiology, University of Bologna, S. Orsola-Malpighi University Hospital, Bologna, Italy.|Cardiology Department, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Policlinico di Modena, Modena, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Boriani
authors.affiliation: University of Birmingham, Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, City Hospital, Dudley Road, B18 7QH Birmingham, UK.|Aalborg Thrombosis Research Unit, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark.
authors.forename: Gregory Y H
authors.initials: GYH
authors.lastname: Lip
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000368:Aged; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality*; D015984:Causality; D015897:Comorbidity; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015995:Prevalence; D012042:Registries; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000401:mortality* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents
keywords: Atrial fibrillation; Mortality; Prognosis; Registry; Stroke