Mental health conditions and adherence to direct oral anticoagulants in patients with incident atrial fibrillation : A nationwide cohort study

Objective: Medication adherence is essential for effective stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). We aimed to assess whether adherence to direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in AF patients is affected by the presence of mental health conditions (MHCs). Methods: The nationwide FinACAF cohort covered 74,222 AF patients from all levels of care receiving DOACs during 2011-2018 in Finland. Medication possession ratio (MPR) was used to quantify adherence. Patients with MPR >= 0.90 were defined adherent. MHCs of interest were depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder and schizophrenia. Results: The patients' (mean age 75.4 +/- 9.5 years, 50.8% female) mean MPR was 0.84 (SD 0.22), and 59.5% had MPR >= 0.90. Compared to patients without MHC, the adjusted ORs (95% CI) for adherent DOAC use emerged slightly lower in patients with depression (0.92 (0.84-0.99)) and bipolar disorder (0.77 (0.61-0.97)) and unsignificant in patients with anxiety disorder (1.08 (0.96-1.21)) and schizophrenia (1.13 (0.90-1.43)). However, when only persistent DOAC therapy was analyzed, no MHC was associated with poor adherence, and instead anxiety disorder was associated with adherent DOAC use (1.18 (1.04-1.34)). Conclusion: Adherence to DOACs in AF patients in Finland was relatively high, and no meaningful differences between patients with and without MHCs were observed.Peer reviewe

Mental Health Conditions and Nonpersistence of Direct Oral Anticoagulant Use in Patients With Incident Atrial Fibrillation : A Nationwide Cohort Study

BACKGROUND: Mental health conditions (MHCs) are associated with poor outcomes in patients with atrial fibrillation. However, persistence of oral anticoagulation therapy in patients with atrial fibrillation and MHCs is unknown. We aimed to evaluate the effect of MHCs on the persistence of direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) use in patients with atrial fibrillation based on a nationwide cohort. METHODS AND RESULTS: The nationwide registry-based FinACAF (Finnish Anticoagulation in Atrial Fibrillation) cohort included 67 503 patients with incident atrial fibrillation and indication for permanent oral anticoagulation (CHA(2)DS(2)-VASc score >1 in men and >2 in women) starting DOAC therapy between 2011 and 2018. MHCs of interest were depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, and composite of any MHC. The main outcome was nonpersistence of DOAC use, defined as the first 120-day period without DOAC purchases after drug initiation. The mean age of the patients was 75.3 +/- 8.9 years, 53.6% were women, and the prevalence of any MHC was 17.8%. Persistence after 1 year from DOAC initiation was 79.3% in patients without MHCs and 77.2% in patients with any MHC, and after 2 years were 64.4% and 60.6%, respectively (P CONCLUSIONS: MHCs are associated with nonpersistence of DOAC use.Peer reviewe

Rural-urban differences in the initiation of oral anticoagulant therapy in patients with incident atrial fibrillation : A Finnish nationwide cohort study

Publisher Copyright: Copyright: © 2022 Teppo et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.Aims Little is known about rural-urban differences in the treatment and outcomes in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). We aimed to assess whether the initiation of oral anticoagulant (OAC) therapy in patients with AF differs between those with rural and urban residence. Methods The registry-based FinACAF cohort covers all patients with AF from all levels of care in Finland. Patients were divided into rural and urban categories and into urbanization degree tertiles based on their municipality of residence at the time of AF diagnosis. The outcome was the first redeemed OAC prescription. Results We identified 222 419 patients (50.1% female; mean age 72.8 (SD 13.2) years) with incident AF during 2007–2018. Urban residence was associated with a lower rate of OAC therapy initiation (adjusted subdistribution hazard ratio (SHR) (95% CI) 0.96 (0.95–0.97)). Correspondingly, an inverse graded dose-response relationship was observed between higher urbanization degree tertile and OAC initiation rate (highest tertile compared to lowest: adjusted SHR (95% CI) 0.94 (0.93–0.95)). The adoption of direct oral anticoagulants for stroke prevention was faster among patients with urban residence. Conclusion This nationwide cohort study documented that urban residence is associated with a slightly lower rate of OAC therapy initiation in patients with incident AF, but faster adoption of direct oral anticoagulant use.Peer reviewe

Comprehensive nationwide incidence and prevalence trends of atrial fibrillation in Finland

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Rural–Urban differences in Use of Rhythm Control Therapies in Patients with Incident Atrial Fibrillation: A Finnish Nationwide Cohort Study

Background: Rural–urban disparities have been reported in the access, utilization, and quality of healthcare. We aimed to assess whether use of antiarrhythmic therapies (AATs) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) differs between those with rural and urban residence. Methods: The registry-based FinACAF cohort covers all patients with AF from all levels of care in Finland. Patients were divided into rural and urban categories and into urbanization degree tertiles based on their municipality of residence at the time of AF diagnosis. The primary outcome was the use of any AAT, including cardioversion, catheter ablation, and fulfilled antiarrhythmic drug (AAD) prescription. Results: We identified 177,529 patients (49.9% female, mean age 73.0 (SD13.0) years) with incident AF during 2010–2018. Except for AADs, the differences in AAT use were nonsignificant when patients were stratified according to the rural–urban classification system (urban vs. rural adjusted incidence rate ratios (aIRRs) with 95% CIs for any AAT 1.01 (0.99–1.03), AADs 1.11 (1.07–1.15), cardioversion 1.01 (0.98–1.03), catheter ablation 1.05 (0.98–1.12)). However, slightly higher use of all rhythm control modalities was observed in the highest urbanization degree tertile when compared to the lowest tertile (aIRRs with 95% Cis for any AAT 1.06 (1.03–1.08), AADs 1.18 (1.14–1.23), cardioversion 1.05 (1.02–1.08), catheter ablation 1.10 (1.02–1.19)). Conclusions: This nationwide retrospective cohort study observed that urban residence is associated with higher use of AADs in patients with incident AF. Otherwise, the observed disparities were only marginal, suggesting that in the use of rhythm control therapies, no large rural–urban inequity exists in Finland

Socioeconomic disparities in use of rhythm control therapies in patients with incident atrial fibrillation : A Finnish nationwide cohort study

Background: In patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), socioeconomic disparities have been reported in the use of oral anticoagulant therapy and outcomes, but whether income also affects the utilization of antiarrhythmic therapies (AATs) for rhythm control is unknown. We assessed the hypothesis that AF patients with higher income are more likely to receive AATs.Methods: The nationwide retrospective registry based FinACAF cohort study covers all patients with AF from all levels of care in Finland. Patients were divided in AF diagnosis year and age-group specific income quintiles according to their highest annual income during 2004-2018. The primary outcome was the use of any AAT, including cardioversion, catheter ablation, and fulfilled antiarrhythmic drug (AAD) prescription.Results: We identified 188 175 patients (mean age 72.6 +/- 13.0 years; 49.6% female) with incident AF during 2010-2018. Patients in higher income quintiles had consistently higher use of all AAT modalities. When compared to patients in the lowest income quintile, the adjusted incidence rate ratios (95% CI) in the highest quintile were 1.53 (1.48-1.59) for any AAT, 1.71 (1.61-1.81) for AADs, 1.43 (1.37-1.49) for cardioversion, and 2.00 (1.76-2.27) for catheter ablation. No temporal change during study period was observed in the magnitude of income disparities in AAT use, except for a decrease in income-related differences in the use of AADs.Conclusion: Profound income-related disparities exist in AAT use among patients with AF in Finland, especially in the use catheter ablation.Peer reviewe

Mental health conditions and use of rhythm control therapies in patients with atrial fibrillation : a nationwide cohort study

Objectives Mental health conditions (MHCs) have been associated with undertreatment of unrelated medical conditions, but whether patients with MHCs face disparities in receiving rhythm control therapies for atrial fibrillation (AF) is currently unknown. We assessed the hypothesis that MHCs are associated with a lower use of antiarrhythmic therapies (AATs). Design A nationwide retrospective registry-based cohort study. Setting The Finnish AntiCoagulation in Atrial Fibrillation cohort included records on all patients with AF in Finland during 2007-2018 identified from nationwide registries covering all levels of care as well as drug purchases. MHCs of interest were diagnosed depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, schizophrenia and any MHC. Participants We identified 239 222 patients (mean age 72.6 +/- 13.2 years; 49.8% women) with incident AF, in whom the prevalence of any MHC was 19.9%. Outcomes Primary outcome was use of any AAT, including cardioversion, catheter ablation, and fulfilled antiarrhythmic drug (AAD) prescription. Results Lower overall use of any AAT emerged in patients with any MHC than in those without MHC (16.9% vs 22.9%, p Conclusions Among patients with AF, a clear disparity exists in AAT use between those with and without MHCs.Peer reviewe

Mental health conditions and adherence to direct oral anticoagulants in patients with incident atrial fibrillation: A nationwide cohort study

Objective: Medication adherence is essential for effective stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). We aimed to assess whether adherence to direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in AF patients is affected by the presence of mental health conditions (MHCs).Methods: The nationwide FinACAF cohort covered 74,222 AF patients from all levels of care receiving DOACs during 2011-2018 in Finland. Medication possession ratio (MPR) was used to quantify adherence. Patients with MPR >= 0.90 were defined adherent. MHCs of interest were depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder and schizophrenia.Results: The patients' (mean age 75.4 +/- 9.5 years, 50.8% female) mean MPR was 0.84 (SD 0.22), and 59.5% had MPR >= 0.90. Compared to patients without MHC, the adjusted ORs (95% CI) for adherent DOAC use emerged slightly lower in patients with depression (0.92 (0.84-0.99)) and bipolar disorder (0.77 (0.61-0.97)) and unsignificant in patients with anxiety disorder (1.08 (0.96-1.21)) and schizophrenia (1.13 (0.90-1.43)). However, when only persistent DOAC therapy was analyzed, no MHC was associated with poor adherence, and instead anxiety disorder was associated with adherent DOAC use (1.18 (1.04-1.34)).Conclusion: Adherence to DOACs in AF patients in Finland was relatively high, and no meaningful differences between patients with and without MHCs were observed.</p