Ten-year prognosis of acute atrial fibrillation in ST-elevation myocardial infarction: recurrence and risk stroke

Aims Atrial fibrillation (AF) often complicates ST-elevation acute myocardial infarction (STEMI), with associated risks including stroke and mortality. Anticoagulation therapy for these patients and AF prognosis remain controversial. The aim was to evaluate long-term prognosis of STEMI patients complicated with AF in the acute phase. Methods and results We performed a retrospective analysis on a prospective register involving 4184 patients admitted for STEMI to the intensive cardiac care unit of two tertiary centres from 2007 to 2015. Patients with pre-existing permanent AF were excluded. Out of these, 269 (6.4%) patients developed AF within the first 48 h after STEMI and were matched with a control group based on age and left ventricular ejection fraction. After matching, a total of 470 patients were included (n = 235, AF-STEMI; n = 235, control group). Mean age was 69.0 years, and 31.7% were women. No differences were found in gender, cardiovascular risk factors, or ischaemic heart disease. AF-STEMI patients experienced more sustained ventricular tachycardia, advanced atrioventricular block, heart failure, and cardiogenic shock. In-hospital mortality was also higher in AF-STEMI patients (11.9% vs. 7.2%, P = 0.008). After a 10-year follow-up, the AF-STEMI group had remained with higher mortality (50.5% vs. 36.2%; P = 0.003) and a greater recurrence of AF (44.2% vs. 14.7%; P < 0.001), without differences in stroke incidence (10.1% vs. 9.3%). Conclusion As a conclusion, patients with AF complicating STEMI have higher rates of heart failure, cardiogenic shock, and in-hospital mortality. After a 10-year follow-up, they exhibit a high risk of AF recurrence and mortality, with no significant differences in stroke incidence.