Impact of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease on prognosis in atrial fibrillation: A report from the EURObservational Research Programme Pilot Survey on Atrial Fibrillation (EORP-AF) General Registry

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common chronic disease, being associated with both high rates of morbidity and mortality. Similarly, atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with a higher risk of both cardiovascular (CV) events and overall mortality. The AF and COPD often coexist, but the impact of COPD on prognosis in European AF patients is unknown. Methods We evaluated COPD prevalence in patients enrolled in the EURObservational Research Programme Pilot Survey on Atrial Fibrillation Registry Pilot Phase. Clinical factors associated with COPD and adverse outcomes at 1-year follow-up were determined. Results In the overall cohort, a diagnosis of COPD was recorded in 339 (11.0%) of AF patients. The AF patients with COPD were more burdened with risk factors and comorbidities, including diabetes mellitus (P <.0001) and chronic heart failure (P <.0001). β-Blockers were less likely to be prescribed to patients with COPD (P =.0007). On follow-up, AF patients with COPD had a higher risk of both CV death and all-cause death (both P <.0001), as well as for the composite outcome of any thromboembolic event/bleeding /CV death (P =.0003). Cox regression analysis found that COPD was independently associated with an increase in all-cause death (hazard ratio, 1.55; 95% CI 1.05-2.28; P =.0269). Conclusions Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is highly prevalent in European AF patients, and is associated with higher rates of CV death, all-cause death, and the composite outcome of any thromboembolic event/bleeding/CV death. The presence of COPD in AF patients was independently associated with all-cause death in AF patients.