Assessment of comorbidity awareness in patients with atrial fibrillation: The ACAPAF study

IF 2.5 Q2 CARDIAC & CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEMS

IJC Heart and Vasculature Pub Date : 2025-10-02 DOI:10.1016/j.ijcha.2025.101813

Rana Önder , Lien Desteghe , Johan Vijgen , Hein Heidbuchel

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Abstract

Background and aim

Systematic and integrated comorbidity management in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) requires patient involvement, starting with comorbidity awareness. This study evaluates comorbidity awareness in patients with AF before and after a first nurse-led AF clinic visit and after six months. We also measured the time needed for full comorbidity mapping using the EHRA-PATHS software.

Methods

This prospective two-centre study included patients diagnosed with AF attending the AF clinic for the first time. The software systematically assessed 23 comorbidities. Patients completed a comorbidity awareness questionnaire, focusing on nine AF-related comorbidities two weeks before their first visit, less than a week after, and six months later. Patients also had a telephone consultation with the AF nurse to discuss their comorbidities 1–3 months post-visit.

Results

The study included 76 patients (mean age 68.3 ± 10.3 y). Baseline awareness of comorbidity relevance for AF ranged between 11.1–100.0 %. Awareness about own alcohol consumption was the most ‘underestimated’ comorbidity before first contact (50.0 %), while smoking was most ‘overestimated’ (55.6 %; i.e. admitted in private but not during formal evaluation by nurses). The impact of an AF clinic visit on awareness of personal comorbidities was limited (p = 0.456), and also after an additional phone consultation, awareness was suboptimal after six months (p = 0.099). AF nurses needed 18.4 ± 8.7 min to complete the software.

Conclusions

Patients’ comorbidity awareness is moderate, and more educational efforts are needed to improve their awareness. A systematic and complete comorbidity evaluation at the AF clinic using EHRA-PATHS software can be done within a reasonable time frame.

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房颤患者合并症意识评估：ACAPAF研究

背景与目的房颤（AF）患者系统、综合的合并症管理需要患者的参与，从合并症意识开始。本研究评估了房颤患者在第一次护士主导的房颤门诊就诊前后和6个月后的合并症意识。我们还测量了使用EHRA-PATHS软件绘制完整共病图所需的时间。方法本前瞻性双中心研究纳入首次就诊的房颤患者。该软件系统地评估了23种合并症。患者在首次就诊前两周、就诊后不到一周和6个月完成了一份合并症意识问卷，重点关注9种房颤相关合并症。访视后1-3个月，患者与房颤护士进行电话咨询，讨论其合并症。结果共纳入76例患者，平均年龄68.3±10.3岁。对房颤合并症相关性的基线认知在11.1 - 100.0%之间。在第一次接触之前，对自己饮酒的认识是最被“低估”的共病（50.0%），而吸烟是最被“高估”的（55.6%；即私下承认，但没有在护士的正式评估期间）。房颤门诊就诊对个人合并症意识的影响有限（p = 0.456），而且在额外的电话咨询后，六个月后的意识也不理想（p = 0.099）。房颤护士完成软件的时间为18.4±8.7 min。结论患者的合并症知晓率一般，需加大教育力度提高合并症知晓率。在合理的时间框架内，使用EHRA-PATHS软件在房颤诊所进行系统和完整的合并症评估。

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来源期刊

IJC Heart and Vasculature Medicine-Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine

CiteScore

4.90

自引率

10.30%

发文量

216

审稿时长

56 days

期刊介绍： IJC Heart & Vasculature is an online-only, open-access journal dedicated to publishing original articles and reviews (also Editorials and Letters to the Editor) which report on structural and functional cardiovascular pathology, with an emphasis on imaging and disease pathophysiology. Articles must be authentic, educational, clinically relevant, and original in their content and scientific approach. IJC Heart & Vasculature requires the highest standards of scientific integrity in order to promote reliable, reproducible and verifiable research findings. All authors are advised to consult the Principles of Ethical Publishing in the International Journal of Cardiology before submitting a manuscript. Submission of a manuscript to this journal gives the publisher the right to publish that paper if it is accepted. Manuscripts may be edited to improve clarity and expression.