|
Background : The purpose of this study was to assess the incidence of new thromboembolism, in elderly Korean patients with atrial fibrillation administered with or without the use of prophylatic therapy. Methods : One hunddred fifty-sis elderly patients with atrial fibrillation were enrolled. The average length of follow up was 42 months. Results : Among 156 patients, thirty-one patients (19.9%) received anticoagulation therapy with warfarin(Group 3). Fifty-six patients(34.0%) received aspirin(Group 2). Seventy-two patients(46.1%) were under observation without any specific medication(Group 1). The frequencies of patients with previous evidence of thromboembolism were 9.7% in Group 1, 22.6% in Group 2, 67.7% in Group 3(p<0001). The rate of new thromboembolism was 4.5%/patient-year for all patients, 7.1%/patient-year in Group 1, and 2.7%/patient-year in Group 2.0%/patient-year in Group 3. The rate of new thromboembolisms in the patients with history of thromboembolism, was 36.0%/patient-year in Group 1, 3.8%/patient-year in Group 2, and 0%/patient-year in Group 3. The cumulative rate of new thromboembolisms was significantly different in the three groups, in the total number of patients, and the patients with histories of thromboembolism(Group 1 vs Group, 2 vs Group3 p=0.12 using the Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank teat, respectively), but not in the patients without previous thromboembolism. Conclusion : Warfarin and aspirin are highly efficacious in the treatment of thromboembolism in elderly Koreans with nonvalvularatrial fibrillation and evidence of previous thromboembolism. Warfarin was more effective than aspirin.
|