Impact of heart failure with normal ejection fraction on the occurrence of ischaemic stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation

Objectives The purpose of this study is to examine the risk of stroke in patients with heart failure with normal ejection fraction (HFNEF) and atrial fibrillation (AF). Design Clinical and echocardiographic data in patients with non-valvular AF who were not on anticoagulation were retrospectively investigated. A total of 304 patients had AF without heart failure, and 102 patients were diagnosed as AF with HFNEF. Main outcome measures We compared the rate of ischaemic stroke, death and composite of these in the two groups. Results Patients with AF and HFNEF were older than those with AF only (71.6 vs 64.0 years, p<0.001). Female sex, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, chronic kidney disease, angina, myocardial infarction, use of beta blocker or digoxin were more common in patients with AF and HFNEF. The rates of ischaemic stroke, death and composite of ischaemic stroke and death were higher in patients with AF and HFNEF than in those with AF only (20.6% vs 6.7%, p<0.001; 27.2% vs 2.0%, p<0.001; 41.2% vs 8.1%, p<0.001 at 3 years for AF with HFNEF vs AF only, respectively). After adjustment with propensity score method using the inverse probability of treatment weighting, the 3-year risks of for ischaemic stroke (HR 3.29; 95% CI 1.58 to 6.86; p=0.001), death (HR 5.52; 95% CI 2.24 to 13.63; p<0.001), and composite of ischaemic stroke and death (HR 4.08; 95% CI 2.30 to 7.26; p<0.001) were significantly higher in patients with AF and HFNEF. Conclusions HFNEF is associated with an increased risk of stroke and death in patients with AF.