BACKGROUND:Aortic aneurysm (AA) and atrial fibrillation (AF) frequently coexist, with emerging evidence suggesting that such patients exhibit an elevated cardiovascular risk profile. However, the impact of preexisting AF on in-hospital outcomes among patients hospitalized for AA remains poorly characterized.
METHODS:We analyzed data from the National Inpatient Sample (2018-2020) to identify adult hospitalizations with a primary diagnosis of AA. Patients were stratified by the presence or absence of AF. Multivariable logistic and linear regression were used to assess the association of AF with in-hospital mortality, complications, length of stay, and inflation-adjusted total hospital charges.
RESULTS:Among 147,420 weighted AA hospitalizations (mean age: 70 ± 12 years), 39,030 (19.5%) had concomitant AF. After multivariable adjustment, AF was not significantly associated with in-hospital mortality (odds ratio [OR]: 1.07 [0.90, 1.27], P = 0.46). However, patients with AF had a longer median length of stay (5 vs. 2 days; P < 0.001) and incurred higher total charges ($160,363 vs. $129,647; P < 0.001). AF was independently associated with increased odds of ischemic stroke (OR: 1.85 [1.36, 2.51], P < 0.001), transient ischemic attack (OR: 1.96 [1.01, 3.80], P = 0.047), acute myocardial infarction (OR: 1.58 [1.23, 2.04], P < 0.001), and major (OR: 1.21 [1.01, 1.45], P = 0.035) and transfusion-requiring bleeding (OR: 1.90 [1.04, 3.47], P = 0.035).
CONCLUSION:Although AF was not associated with in-hospital mortality among patients admitted for AA, it was linked to a significantly higher risk of bleeding complications, prolonged hospitalization, and greater health-care expenditures.