Deirdre Lane

• University of Birmingham

Purpose To summarise the association between potentially inappropriate prescribing (PIP) and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in older adults, with a special focus on those with atrial fibrillation (AF) and multimorbidity, while exploring potential interventions to improve prescribing quality and their impact on HRQOL. Methods A comprehensiv...

Aim (i) To explore the attitudes of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) towards oral anti-coagulation (OAC) for stroke prevention post-intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) and (ii) to explore factors that influence patients’ decision-making process for stroke prevention. Methods and results Patients with documented diagnosis of AF and history of a n...

Background: An educational-behavioral intervention has been shown to improve anticoagulation control with warfarin in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients, but widespread application may not be practical. The SAMe-TT2R2 score was formulated to identify the likelihood of achieving optimal time in therapeutic range (TTR). Objectives: The authors conduct...

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF), the most prevalent cardiac arrhythmia, disrupts the heart's rhythm through numerous small re-entry circuits in the atrial tissue, leading to irregular atrial contractions. The condition poses significant health risks, including increased stroke risk, heart failure, and reduced quality of life. Given the comple...

Background Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) often have concomitant long-term conditions that negatively impact their quality of life and the clinical management they receive. The AFFIRMO study aimed to identify the needs, quality performance indicators (QPIs), and outcomes relevant to patients, caregivers and healthcare professionals (HCPs) t...

Background Blood pressure (BP) extremes and renal (dys)function contribute to poor outcomes in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Using data from the prospective AF-GEN-UK study, we investigated the effect of systolic BP and interaction with renal function for prognostication. Methods Baseline systolic BP (SBP) values were recorded for 1580 p...

Background and purpose The impact of bridging thrombolysis prior to endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) compared to EVT alone on intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH), subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH), and death in anticoagulated atrial fibrillation (AF) patients with acute ischaemic stroke (AIS) is not well defined. Methods A retrospective study was conducte...

Background Left ventricular assist device (LVAD) recipients report symptom improvement but find adjusting to life with the LVAD challenging. These challenges are unique, and existing patient‐reported outcome measures (PROMs) do not reflect their experiences. This study aimed to develop a culturally relevant quality of life PROM for use with LVAD re...

Background Enhanced detection of large vessel occlusion (LVO) through machine learning (ML) for acute ischemic stroke appears promising. This systematic review explored the capabilities of ML models compared with prehospital stroke scales for LVO prediction. Methods and Results Six bibliographic databases were searched from inception until October...

Mobile health (mHealth) solutions have the potential to improve self-management and clinical care. For successful integration into routine clinical practice, healthcare professionals (HCPs) need accepted criteria helping the mHealth solutions’ selection, while patients require transparency to trust their use. Information about their evidence, safet...

Background The Atrial fibrillation Better Care (ABC) pathway is the gold-standard approach to atrial fibrillation (AF) management, but the effect of implementation on health outcomes in care home residents is unknown. Objective To examine associations between ABC pathway adherence and stroke, transient ischaemic attack, cardiovascular hospitalisat...

Modern anticoagulation therapy has dramatically reduced the risk of stroke and systemic thromboembolism in people with atrial fibrillation (AF). However, AF still impairs quality of life, increases the risk of stroke and heart failure, and is linked to cognitive impairment. There is also a recognition of the residual risk of thromboembolic complica...

Background Older care home residents are a vulnerable group of people with atrial fibrillation (AF) at high risk of adverse health events. The Atrial Fibrillation Better Care (ABC: Avoid stroke; Better symptom management; Cardiovascular and other comorbidity management) pathway is the gold-standard approach toward integrated AF care, and pharmacist...

Background Thyroid hormones act on the cardiovascular system directly by modulating its function and indirectly by transcriptional regulation of gene expression in the heart and the vasculature. Studies have shown associations between overt and subclinical thyroid disorders and cardiovascular outcomes. The aim of this study was to perform a systema...

Introduction: Oral anticoagulants (OACs) are the cornerstone of stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation (AF), but prescribing decisions in older people are complicated. Clinicians must assess the net clinical benefit of OAC in the context of multiple chronic conditions, polypharmacy, frailty and life expectancy. The under-representation of high-r...

Background: Despite improvements in medical care, the quality of life of adults and adolescents with congenital heart disease remains strongly affected by their condition, often leading to depression. Psychotherapy, cognitive behavioural therapy, and other talking therapies may be effective in treating depression in both adults and young adults wi...

Background Telemonitoring for the remote patient self-management of chronic conditions can be a cost-effective method for delivering care in chronic disease; nonetheless, its implementation in clinical practice remains low. The aim of this meta-synthesis is to explore barriers and facilitators associated with the use of remote patient monitoring of...

Objectives: To increase the detection of unknown atrial fibrillation (AF), general practitioners have started screening their patients using small hand-held devices. It is thought that dental settings could be utilized for screening as they have regular access to patients. The aim of this study was were to explore the perceptions of dental staff o...

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) has consistently been associated with a higher risk of incident dementia. Observational evidence has suggested catheter ablation may be associated with a lower risk of dementia in patients with AF, but further research is needed. The objectives of this study were to use a global health research network to exami...

Background: Clinical practice guidelines recommend patient education for patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) as a part of holistic care, however clinical guidelines lack detailed specification the content, structure, and delivery of AF education programmes. Aim: To examine the implementation of education for patients with AF in Denmark in rel...

New-onset cardiovascular complications following an ischaemic stroke, hereafter termed stroke–heart syndrome, are a major medical challenge of the 21st century, yet are under-recognized and under-researched.1,2 Acutely, stroke–heart syndrome associates with poorer functional prognosis and increased mortality following stroke.³ In the long term, str...

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common form of cardiac arrhythmia, affecting 2%–3% of the world's population. Mental and emotional stress, as well as some mental health conditions (e.g., depression) have been shown to significantly impact the heart and have been suggested to act both as independent risk factors and triggers in the onset of AF....

There is an increasing proportion of the general population surviving to old age with significant chronic disease, multi-morbidity, and disability. The prevalence of pre-frail state and frailty syndrome increases exponentially with advancing age and is associated with greater morbidity, disability, hospitalization, institutionalization, mortality,...

Background: Sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) are effective anti-diabetic drugs improving cardiovascular outcomes in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients. This study investigated cardiovascular, cerebrovascular and cognitive outcomes of SGLT2i therapy in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and T2DM. Methods: Observationa...

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) associates with higher Alzheimer's disease (AD) and vascular dementia risks but the clinical implications have been scarcely investigated. We examined the association between AD or vascular dementia and adverse outcomes in AF patients. Methods: Cohort study between January 2000 and 2017. AF patients were divi...

Pregnancy-related complications are associated with a higher risk of various incident cardiovascular diseases, but their specific potential relationship with incident atrial fibrillation (AF) is less clear. This systematic review summarises the available evidence from observational studies which have examined associations between pregnancy-related...

Objectives Endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) is associated with good clinical outcomes in ischaemic stroke, but the risk of intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) and mortality remains common following ischaemic stroke. The effect of concomitant atrial fibrillation (AF) on clinical outcomes following acute ischaemic stroke in patients receiving EVT remains...

Background: Good quality anticoagulation among patients with operated valvular heart disease is needed to reduce ischaemic and thromboembolic complications. There is limited evidence regarding factors that affect anticoagulation control in patients implanted with mechanical or tissue prosthetic valve(s). Aim: To examine the quality of and factor...

Introduction People with atrial fibrillation (AF) frequently have competing mechanisms for ischaemic stroke, including extracranial carotid atherosclerosis. The objective of this study was to determine associations between use of oral anticoagulants (OACs) plus antiplatelet agents (APA) after ischaemic stroke and outcomes for patients with AF and c...

Background Atrial fibrillation (AF) negatively impacts health systems worldwide. We aimed to capture perceptions of and barriers and facilitators for AF care in Brazilian primary care units (PCUs) from the perspective of healthcare professionals (HCPs). Methods This mixed-methods, cross-sectional study utilised an exploratory sequential design, be...

Introduction Endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) is associated with good clinical outcomes in anterior circulation ischaemic stroke. The impact of EVT on clinical outcomes in patients with ischaemic stroke with and without atrial fibrillation, and the effect of adjunctive pharmacological therapies with EVT, remains unclear. Areas covered The goal of t...

Background: The present study focuses on assessing the physical activity level of children with Fontan circulation for Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome and identifying potential barriers and facilitators toward their participation in physical activity. Patients and methods: Seven children aged 5-16 years (mean (SD) 8.8 (3.7) years) with a Fontan...

Objective To determine atrial fibrillation (AF) prevalence and temporal trends, and examine associations between AF and risk of adverse health outcomes in older care home residents. Methods Retrospective cohort study using anonymised linked data from the Secure Anonymised Information Linkage Databank on CARE home residents in Wales with AF (SAIL C...

Atrial fibrillation (AF) often remains undetected following stroke. Documenting AF is critical to initiate oral anticoagulation, which has proven benefit in reducing recurrent stroke and mortality in patients with AF. The accuracy and acceptability of using smart wearables technology to detect AF in patients following stroke is unknown. The aims of...

Background: Treatment decisions about oral anticoagulants (OACs) for atrial fibrillation (AF) are complex in older care home residents. Aim: To explore factors associated with OAC prescription. Design and setting: Retrospective cohort study set in care homes in Wales, UK, listed in the Care Inspectorate Wales Registry 2017/18. Method: Analys...

Influence of antrophometric factors on outcomes in AF.

Background: Telemedicine is an expanding and feasible approach to improve medical care for patients with long-term conditions. However, there is a poor understanding of patients' acceptability of this technology and their rate of uptake. Objective: The aim of this study was to systematically review the current evidence on telemonitoring in the m...

Management of hypertension varies considerably from clinician to clinician. This book is a concise and evidence-based summary of current understanding and practice of the management of hypertension and includes the most up-to-date guidance from national and international bodies and their recommendations for hypertension care. Written by an internat...

Management of hypertension varies considerably from clinician to clinician. This book is a concise and evidence-based summary of current understanding and practice of the management of hypertension and includes the most up-to-date guidance from national and international bodies and their recommendations for hypertension care. Written by an internat...

Background: Frailty is a medical syndrome characterised by reduced physiological reserve and increased vulnerability to stressors. Data regarding the relationship between frailty and atrial fibrillation (AF) are still inconsistent. Objectives: We aim to perform a comprehensive evaluation of frailty in a large European cohort of AF patients. Met...

Background Left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation significantly impacts on a recipient’s symptoms and quality of life. Capturing their experiences and post implant journey is an important part of clinical practice, research and device design evolution. Patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) are a useful tool for capturing that experi...

Background: The association between ideal cardiovascular health (ICVH) status and atrial fibrillation or flutter (AFF) diagnosis has been less studied compared to other cardiovascular diseases. Objective: To analyze the association between AFF diagnosis and ICVH metrics and scores in the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil)...

Aims This study established a prospective registry of contemporary management of UK patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) by cardiologists, general practitioners, stroke, acute, and emergency medicine physicians at baseline and 1-year follow-up. Methods and results Data on patients with recently diagnosed AF (≤12 months) were collected from medic...

Background Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia that affects 60 million people worldwide. Limited evidence on AF management exists from low- and middle-income countries and none from Sri Lanka. We aimed to investigate the existing AF care pathway and patients’ perception on AF management to identify barriers and enablers f...

Within Europe and the Asia-Pacific, the Atrial Fibrillation Better Care (ABC) pathway is the gold standard integrated care strategy for atrial fibrillation management. Atrial fibrillation diagnosis should be Confirmed and Characterized (CC) before implementation of ABC pathway components: (1) ‘A’- Anticoagulation/Avoid stroke; (2) ‘B’- Better sympt...

Background Implementation of the Atrial fibrillation Better Care (ABC) pathway is recommended by guidelines on atrial fibrillation (AF), but the impact of adherence to ABC pathway in patients with cancer is unknown. Objectives To investigate the adherence to ABC pathway and its impact on adverse outcomes in AF patients with cancer. Methods Patien...

Background Residual risk of ischemic stroke despite anticoagulation in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) represents a significant clinical issue that remains unaddressed. We aimed to evaluate the incidence and risk factors for residual adverse events in AF. Methods and Results Using data from phase II/III of the prospective GLORIA‐AF (Global...

BACKGROUND For patients with atrial fibrillation who survive an intracranial hemorrhage (ICrH), the decision to offer oral anticoagulation (OAC) is challenging and necessitates balancing risk of thromboembolic events with risk of recurrent ICrH. METHODS This systematic review assesses the effectiveness and safety of OAC and/or antiplatelets in pat...

While there is a clear clinical benefit of oral anticoagulation in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and venous thromboembolism (VTE) in reducing the risks of thromboembolism, major bleeding events (especially intracranial bleeds) may still occur and be devastating. The decision for initiating and continuing anticoagulation is often based on a...

Background In recent years, attention to subclinical atrial fibrillation (SCAF), defined as the presence of atrial high-rate episodes (AHREs), in patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs), has gained much interest as a determinant of clinical AF and stroke risk. We aim to perform a systematic review and meta-regression of the ava...

Background: There is a plethora of real-world data on the safety and effectiveness of direct-acting oral anticoagulants (DOACs); however, study heterogeneity has contributed to inconsistent findings. We compared the effectiveness and safety of apixaban with those of other direct-acting oral anticoagulants (DOACs) and vitamin K antagonists (VKA e.g...

Aim To investigate the association of anthropometric parameters [height, weight, body mass index (BMI), body surface area (BSA) and lean body mass (LBM)] with outcomes in atrial fibrillation (AF). Methods and results 10220 patients were enrolled [40.3% females, median age 70 (62-77) years, followed for 728 (IQR 653-745) days]. Sex-specific tertile...

Objectives To determine the proportion of older people moving to care homes with a recent stroke, incidence of stroke after moving to a care home, mortality following stroke, and secondary stroke prevention management in older care home residents. Design Retrospective cohort study using population-scale individual-level linked data sources between...

Introduction Initiating long-term oral anticoagulation (OAC) therapy in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) who have sustained an intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) has clinical equipoise due to the lack of clinical trial evidence. Understanding how physicians make decisions about stroke prevention in these patients will support and improve current...

Background/Introduction Early detection of worsening congestion in heart failure (HF) patients can prompt timely interventions and potentially decrease hospital admissions. Accordingly, standard care recommendations include the monitoring of symptoms and daily weighing at home. However, most patients with worsening HF do not appear to weigh themsel...

The management of patients with stroke is often multidisciplinary, involving various specialties and healthcare professionals. Given the common shared risk factors for stroke and cardiovascular disease, input may also be required from the cardiovascular teams, as well as patient caregivers and next-of-kin. Ultimately, the patient is central to all...

Aim We aimed to systematically review the available literature on mobile Health (mHealth) solutions, including handheld and wearable devices, implantable loop recorders (ILRs), as well as mobile platforms and support systems in atrial fibrillation (AF) detection and management. Methods This systematic review was conducted in accordance with the Pr...

Background: The objective of this study was to determine associations between use of oral anticoagulation (OAC) and stroke and bleeding-related outcomes for older people ≥80 years with atrial fibrillation (AF), and to determine trends over time in prescribing of OAC for this population. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted. People...

Further research is needed to refine risk prediction models for adverse cardiovascular outcomes following stroke in contemporary clinical practice, such as incident atrial fibrillation (AF), recurrent stroke, and cognitive impairment and dementia. The aims of this study are to prospectively investigate cardiovascular outcomes and risk factors for i...

Background The management of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and malignancy is challenging given the paucity of evidence supporting their appropriate clinical management. Purpose To evaluate the outcomes of patients with active or prior malignancy in a contemporary cohort of European AF patients. Methods Patients enrolled in the EURObserva...

The article deals with the management of the patients with cancer in the EORPAF Registry and the clinical outcomes

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia that affects 60 million people worldwide. Limited evidence on AF management exists from low- and middle-income countries and none from Sri Lanka. We aimed to investigate the existing AF care pathway and patients’ perception on AF management to identify barriers and enablers...

Aims: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia and a key risk factor for ischaemic stroke. Following AF detection, treatment with oral anticoagulation can significantly lower mortality and morbidity rates associated with this risk. The availability of several hand-held devices which can detect AF may enable trained h...

Background The risk of major adverse cardiovascular events is substantially increased following a stroke. Although exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation has been shown to improve prognosis following cardiac events, it is not part of routine care for people following a stroke. We, therefore, investigated the association between cardiac rehabilitatio...

Background Cardiac troponins (cTn) have been reported to be predictors for adverse outcomes in atrial fibrillation (AF), patients, but their actual use is still unclear. Aim To assess the factors associated with cTn testing in routine practice and evaluate the association with outcomes. Methods Patients enrolled in the ESC-EHRA EORP-AF General Lo...

Introduction: Efficacy and safety of vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) among atrial fibrillation (AF) patients are enhanced when the International Normalised Ratio (INR) is 2.0-3.0. Anticoagulation control among older patients is perceived to be lower and contributes to poorer initiation and uptake. Objective: To examine the quality of INR control, a...

Background Use of rate/rhythm control is essential to control symptoms in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Recently, the EAST-AFNET 4 trial described how early rhythm control strategy was associated with a lower risk of adverse clinical outcomes.Objectives The aim was to evaluate the real-world applicability and impact of an early rhythm con...

This editorial refers to ‘Worldwide trends in oral anticoagulant use in patients with atrial fibrillation from 2010 to 2018: a systematic review and meta-analysis’ by M. Grymonprez et al., https://doi.org/10.1093/europace/euab303. The landscape of atrial fibrillation (AF) management has changed substantially over the last decade. Key milestones for...

Importance The Mobile Health Technology for Improved Screening and Optimized Integrated Care in Atrial Fibrillation (mAFA-II) trial is a prospective cluster randomized trial that found a significant reduction in the composite clinical outcome of stroke or thromboembolism, all-cause death, and rehospitalization among patients with atrial fibrillatio...

Background: The risk of major adverse cardiovascular events is substantially increased following a stroke. Although exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation has been shown to improve prognosis following cardiac events, it is not part of routine care for people following a stroke. We therefore investigated the association between cardiac rehabilitatio...

Objective The identification of methodology for modelling cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk using longitudinal data and risk factor trajectories. Methods We screened MEDLINE-Ovid from inception until 3 June 2020. MeSH and text search terms covered three areas: data type, modelling type and disease area including search terms such as “longitudinal”...

BACKGROUND Telemedicine is an expanding and feasible approach to improve medical care for patients with long-term conditions. However, there is a poor understanding of patients’ acceptability of this intervention and their rate of uptake. OBJECTIVE To systematically review the current evidence on telehealth in the management of patients with long-...

Aims Cardiac troponins (cTn) have been reported to be predictors for adverse outcomes in atrial fibrillation (AF), patients, but their actual use is still unclear. To assess the factors associated with cTn testing in routine clinical practice and to evaluate the association of elevated levels of cTn with adverse outcomes in a large contemporary coh...

Aims In recent years, attention to subclinical atrial fibrillation (SCAF), defined as the presence of atrial high-rate episodes (AHREs), in patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs), has gained much interest as a determinant of clinical AF and stroke risk. To perform a systematic review and meta-regression of the available scient...

Background Epidemiological studies in atrial fibrillation (AF) illustrate that clinical complexity increase the risk of major adverse outcomes. We aimed to describe European AF patients’ clinical phenotypes and analyse the differential clinical course. Methods We performed a hierarchical cluster analysis based on Ward’s Method and Squared Euclidea...

The association between atrial fibrillation (AF) and stroke is well established. With AF-related strokes being larger and associated with worse outcomes,¹ appropriate oral anticoagulant (OAC) prescribing is paramount. However, patients presenting with AF are a heterogeneous group and anticoagulant prescribing practice may vary depending on numerous...

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Supplementary Table 9, column 'Edoxaban', row 'eGFR category', '95 mL/min' (page 15). The cell should be coloured green instead of yellow. It should also read "60 mg"instead of "60 mg (use with caution in 'supranormal' renal function)."In the above-indicated cell, a footnote has also been added to state: "Edoxaban should be used in patients with hi...

Background COVID‐19 has a wide spectrum of cardiovascular sequelae including myocarditis and pericarditis; however, the prevalence and clinical impact are unclear. We investigated the prevalence of new‐onset myocarditis/pericarditis and associated adverse cardiovascular events in patients with COVID‐19. Methods and results A retrospective cohort s...

Background Evidence on the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and CVD risk factors in people with HIV (PWH) is limited. We aimed to identify the risk of composite CVD, individual CVD events and common risk factors. Methods This was a nationwide population-based cohort study comparing adult (≥18y) PWH with HIV-negative individuals matched on age,...

The 2020 European Society of Cardiology guidelines endorse the Atrial Fibrillation Better Care (ABC) pathway as a structured approach for the management of atrial fibrillation (AF), addressing three principal elements: ‘A’ – avoid stroke (with oral anticoagulation), ‘B’ – patient-focused better symptom management, and ‘C’ – cardiovascular and comor...

Background There is limited evidence of long‐term impact of exercise‐based cardiac rehabilitation (CR) on clinical end points for patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). We therefore compared 18‐month all‐cause mortality, hospitalization, stroke, and heart failure in patients with AF and an electronic medical record of exercise‐based CR to matched...

Background Adherence rates of preventative medication for cardiovascular disease (CVD) have been reported as 57%, and approximately 9% of all CVD events in Europe are attributable to poor medication adherence. Mobile health technologies, particularly mobile apps, have the potential to improve medication adherence and clinical outcomes. Objective T...

Background There is limited evidence of long-term impact of exercise-based CR on clinical endpoints for patients with AF. We therefore compared 18-month all-cause mortality, hospitalisation, stroke, and heart failure in patients with AF and an electronic medical record (EMR) of exercise-based CR to matched controls. Methods and Results This retr...

Introduction: Increasing evidence suggests patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may develop thrombosis and thrombosis-related complications. Some previous evidence has suggested COVID-19-associated strokes are more severe with worse outcomes for patients, but further studies are needed to confirm these findings. The aim of this study...

Background: Antipsychotic medications are frequently prescribed to people with dementia to manage behavioural and psychological symptoms. Using a global federated research network, the objectives were to determine: 1) if COVID-19 is associated with 30-day thromboembolic events and mortality for people with dementia receiving antipsychotic medicati...