Synapse
⌘+K
Synapse
PulseExploreClubsResearchersJournals
Instagram
HomeClubsExplore
June 14, 2026BMC GeriatricsOpen Access

Baseline frailty or pre-frailty was significantly associated with higher odds of AF recurrence or persistence at two years (aOR 1.52, 95% CI 1.03–2.25).

View Full Paper
Ask AI
Bookmark
Share

Why the study?

Does baseline frailty or pre-frailty increase the odds of atrial fibrillation recurrence or persistence at two years in older adults with non-valvular AF?

Population

773 older adults with non-valvular atrial fibrillation and a CHA2DS2-VASc score ≥ 2, mean age 75.5, 52%…

Comparison

Baseline frailty or pre-frailty vs Not frail (no CHS frailty criteria met)

Design

Cohort

Follow-up

two years

Authors

BGBahjat GhazzalDLDarleen LessardJTJoseph Tejan

Discussion

Loading...

Member takes

Overview

May identify older AF patients needing closer monitoring; leaves open whether frailty interventions reduce recurrence.

Key Points

  • This research aims to explore the relationship between frailty and atrial fibrillation recurrence or persistence.
  • Utilized data from 854 older adults with atrial fibrillation and CHA2DS2-VASc score ≥ 2 from the SAGE-AF cohort.
  • Participants were evaluated using baseline and two-year follow-up electrocardiograms to determine AF recurrence or persistence.
  • Conducted statistical analysis to determine the association between frailty and AF outcomes.
  • AF recurrence or persistence was found in 379 participants (49%) at two-year follow-up.
  • Higher odds of recurrence or persistence associated with frailty (aOR 1.52, 95%CI 1.03–2.25).
  • Increased incidence of major bleeding events linked to recurrent or persistent AF (aHR 1.87, 95%CI 1.01–3.45).

Structured PICO

Does baseline frailty or pre-frailty increase the odds of atrial fibrillation recurrence or persistence at two years in older adults with non-valvular AF?

P
Population
773 older adults (≥ 65 years) with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) and a CHA2DS2-VASc score ≥ 2, mean age 75.5, 52% male, 92% white. Enrolled from five medical centers in Massachusetts and Georgia.
I
Intervention
Baseline frailty or pre-frailty (assessed using the Cardiovascular Health Survey [CHS] frailty scale)
C
Comparator
Not frail (no CHS frailty criteria met)
O
Outcome
Recurrence or persistence of atrial fibrillation detected on electrocardiogram (ECG) at two-year follow-up

Baseline frailty or pre-frailty is independently associated with a higher risk of atrial fibrillation recurrence or persistence at two years, which correlates with an increased risk of major bleeding.

Limitations

  • Single baseline measurement of frailty, which is a dynamic condition that changes over time
  • Apparent AF-bleeding association may be partially mediated by anticoagulant type (warfarin vs DOAC) rather than reflecting a direct effect of rhythm status

Cite This Study

Ghazzal et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a2e4608b1cc60ccdea8ae94https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-026-07794-z
View Full Paper
Ask AI
Bookmark
Share

Also Consider

Synapse has enriched one closely related paper. Consider it for comparative context:

  1. 1Multimorbidity, frailty and polypharmacy in European and Asian patients with atrial fibrillation: a comparison of two regional prospective observational registries2025 · 4 citations