| 1. |
- Aronsson, Mattias, et al.
(author)
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Cost-effectiveness of mass screening for untreated atrial fibrillation using intermittent ECG recording
- 2015
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In: Europace. - : Oxford University Press (OUP): Policy B - Oxford Open Option B - CC-BY. - 1099-5129 .- 1532-2092. ; 17:7, s. 1023-1029
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aims The aim of this study was to estimate the cost-effectiveness of 2 weeks of intermittent screening for asymptomatic atrial fibrillation (AF) in 75/76-year-old individuals. Methods and results The cost-effectiveness analysis of screening in 75-year-old individuals was based on a lifelong decision analytic Markov model. In this model, 1000 hypothetical individuals, who matched the population of the STROKESTOP study, were simulated. The population was analysed for different parameters such as prevalence, AF status, treatment with oral anticoagulation, stroke risk, utility, and costs. In the base-case scenario, screening of 1000 individuals resulted in 263 fewer patient-years with undetected AF. This implies eight fewer strokes, 11 more life-years, and 12 more quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) per 1000 screened individuals. The screening implies an incremental cost of (sic)50 012, resulting in a cost of (sic)4313 per gained QALY and (sic)6583 per avoided stroke. Conclusions With the use of a decision analytic simulation model, it has been shown that screening for asymptomatic AF in 75/76-year-old individuals is cost-effective.
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| 2. |
- Aronsson, Mattias, 1989-, et al.
(author)
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Designing an optimal screening program for unknown atrial fibrillation : a cost-effectiveness analysis.
- 2017
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In: Europace. - Oxford : Oxford University Press. - 1099-5129 .- 1532-2092. ; 19:10, s. 1650-1656
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aims: The primary objective of this study was to use computer simulations to suggest an optimal age for initiation of screening for unknown atrial fibrillation and to evaluate if repeated screening will add value.Methods and results: In the absence of relevant clinical studies, this analysis was based on a simulation model. More than two billion different designs of screening programs for unknown atrial fibrillation were simulated and analysed. Data from the published scientific literature and registries were used to construct the model and estimate lifelong effects and costs. Costs and effects generated by 2 147 483 648 different screening designs were calculated and compared. Program designs that implied worse clinical outcome and were less cost-effective compared to other programs were excluded from the analysis. Seven program designs were identified, and considered to be cost effective depending on what the health-care decision makers are ready to pay for gaining a quality-adjusted life-year (QALY). Screening at the age of 75 implied the lowest cost per gained QALY (€4 800/QALY).Conclusion: In conclusion, examining the results of more than two billion simulated screening program designs for unknown atrial fibrillation, seven designs were deemed cost-effective depending on how much we are prepared to pay for gaining QALYs. Our results showed that repeated screening for atrial fibrillation implied additional health benefits to a reasonable cost compared to one-off screening.
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| 3. |
- Hendrikx, Tijn, et al.
(author)
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Atrial fibrillation among patients under investigation for suspected obstructive sleep apnea
- 2017
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In: PLOS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 12:2
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- STUDY OBJECTIVES: Obstructive sleep apnea is common among patients with atrial fibrillation, but the prevalence and risk factors for atrial fibrillation among patients who are being investigated on suspicion of sleep apnea are not well known. The aim of the study was to estimate the prevalence of atrial fibrillation among patients investigated for suspected obstructive sleep apnea and to identify risk factors for atrial fibrillation among them.METHODS: The prevalence of atrial fibrillation was investigated among 201 patients referred for suspected obstructive sleep apnea. Patients without known atrial fibrillation were investigated with a standard 12-lead ECG at hospital and short intermittent handheld ECG recordings at home, during 14 days.RESULTS: Atrial fibrillation occurred in 13 of 201 subjects (6.5%), and in 12 of 61 men aged 60 years and older (20%). The prevalence of atrial fibrillation increased with sleep apnea severity (p = 0.038). All patients with atrial fibrillation were men and all had sleep apnea. Age 60 or older, the occurrence of central sleep apnea and diabetes mellitus were independent risk factors for atrial fibrillation after adjustments for body mass index, gender, sleep apnea and cardiovascular disease.CONCLUSIONS: Atrial fibrillation is common among subjects referred for sleep apnea investigation and the prevalence of atrial fibrillation increases with sleep apnea severity. Independent risk factors for atrial fibrillation among patients investigated for suspected obstructive sleep apnea include the occurrence of coexisting central sleep apnea, age 60 years or older and diabetes mellitus.
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| 4. |
- Svennberg, Emma, et al.
(author)
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N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide in systematic screening for atrial fibrillation
- 2017
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In: Heart. - : BMJ. - 1355-6037 .- 1468-201X. ; 103:16, s. 1271-1277
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objective Screening for atrial fibrillation (AF) in individuals aged 65 and above is recommended by the European Society of Cardiology. Increased levels of the biomarker N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) has in cohort studies been associated with incident AF. The aim of this study was to assess whether NT-proBNP could be useful for AF detection in systematic screening.Methods The Strokestop study entailed 7173 Swedish residents aged 75/76 that were screened for AF using twice daily intermittent ECG recordings during 2 weeks. In a substudy of 886 participants, the last 815 consecutive participants and 71 individuals with newly detected AF, levels of NT-proBNP were determined.Results Participants with newly detected AF (n=96) had a median NT-proBNP of 330 ng/L (IQR 121; 634). In individuals without AF (n=742), median NT-proBNP was 171 ng/L (IQR 95; 283), p<0.001. The CHA2DS2-VASc parameters did not differ significantly between individuals with newly detected AF and without AF nor between newly detected AF in the NT-proBNP cohort compared with the cohort where NT-proBNP was not assessed. Using an NT-proBNP cut-off of >= 125 ng/L in a non-acute setting yielded a negative predictive value of 92%, meaning that 35% fewer participants would need to be screened when applied to systematic AF screening. Adding weight to NT-proBNP further reduced participants needed to be screened with a preserved sensitivity.Conclusions NT-proBNP was increased in individuals with newly detected AF. Prospective studies could clarify if NT-proBNP can be used to correctly select individuals that benefit most from AF screening.
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| 5. |
- Svennberg, Emma, et al.
(author)
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Safe automatic one-lead electrocardiogram analysis in screening for atrial fibrillation
- 2017
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In: Europace. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1099-5129 .- 1532-2092. ; 19:9, s. 1449-1453
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aims Screening for atrial fibrillation (AF) using intermittent electrocardiogram (ECG) recordings can identify individuals at risk of AF-related morbidity in particular stroke. We aimed to validate the performance of an AF screening algorithm compared with manual ECG analysis by specially trained nurses and physicians (gold standard) in 30 s intermittent one-lead ECG recordings. Methods and results The STROKESTOP study is a mass-screening study for AF using intermittent ECG recordings. All individuals in the study without known AF registered a 30-s ECG recording in Lead I two times daily for 2 weeks, and all ECGs were manually interpreted. A computerized algorithm was used to analyse 80 149 ECG recordings in 3209 individuals. The computerized algorithm annotated 87.1% (n = 69 789) of the recordings as sinus rhythm/minor rhythm disturbances. The manual interpretation (gold standard) was that 69 758 ECGs were normal, making the negative predictive value of the algorithm 99.9%. The number of ECGs requiring manual interpretation in order to find one pathological ECG was reduced from 288 to 35. Atrial fibrillation was diagnosed in 84 patients by manual interpretation, in all of whom the algorithm indicated pathology. On an ECG level, 278 ECGs were manually interpreted as AF, and of these the algorithm annotated 272 ECGs as pathological (sensitivity 97.8%). Conclusion Automatic ECG screening using a computerized algorithm safely identifies normal ECGs in Lead I and reduces the need for manual evaluation of individual ECGs with >85% with 100% sensitivity on an individual basis.
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