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Am J Emerg Med
. 2021 Dec;50:661-669.
doi: 10.1016/j.ajem.2021.09.050. Epub 2021 Sep 24.
Outcomes of atrial fibrillation in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Ming-Yue Chen 1 , Fang-Ping Xiao 2 , Lin Kuai 1 , Hai-Bo Zhou 2 , Zhi-Qiang Jia 2 , Meng Liu 2 , Hao He 2 , Mei Hong 3
Affiliations
- PMID: 34879483
- DOI: 10.1016/j.ajem.2021.09.050
Abstract
Background: Recently, emerging evidence has suggested that atrial fibrillation (AF) has an epidemiological correlation with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, the clinical outcomes of AF in COVID-19 remain inconsistent and inconclusive. The aim of this study was to provide a comprehensive description of the impact of AF on the prognosis of patients with COVID-19 pneumonia.
Methods: Three electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science) were searched for eligible studies as of March 1, 2021. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to evaluate the associations between AF (preexisting and new-onset) and in-hospital mortality, post-discharge mortality, and ventilator use.
Results: A total of 36 individual studies were incorporated into our meta-analysis. The combined results revealed that preexisting AF was associated with increased in-hospital mortality (pooled OR: 2.07; 95% CI: 1.60-2.67; p < 0.001), post-discharge mortality (pooled OR: 2.69; 95% CI: 1.24-5.83; p < 0.05), and ventilator utilization (pooled OR: 4.53; 95% CI: 1.33-15.38; p < 0.05) in patients with COVID-19. In addition, our data demonstrated that new-onset AF during severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection was significantly correlated with increased mortality (pooled OR: 2.38; 95% CI: 2.04-2.77; p < 0.001).
Conclusions: The presence of AF is correlated with adverse outcomes in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia, which deserves increased attention and should be managed appropriately to prevent adverse outcomes.
Keywords: Arrhythmia; Atrial fibrillation; COVID-19; Meta-analysis; Mortality.