Abstract Body (Do not enter title and authors here): Background
Atrial flutter (AFL) is a common supraventricular tachyarrhythmia characterized by a rapid and regular atrial rate. Although the global burden of atrial flutter on the general population has risen dramatically over the past four decades, the impact of sex on clinical outcomes for these patients is poorly characterized. This study aims to investigate sex disparities in clinical outcomes over recent years for patients admitted with atrial flutter.
Methods
In this large scale, retrospective cohort study, adult patients who were admitted with AFL were analyzed from 2016 to 2021 using the National Readmissions Database. The study population was divided into male and female groups. Diagnoses were classified using the International Classification of Diseases, 10th edition codes. The primary outcome was 30-day readmissions. Secondary outcomes included inpatient mortality and length of stay.
Results
A total of 132,027 patients with AFL meeting inclusion criteria were included in the study. Of these, 82,988 (62.9%) were male and 49,040 (37.1%) were female. The mean age was 63.0 ± 11.5 for males vs 67.2 ± 11.4 years for females. Readmissions were higher in females (10% vs 9%) than males. Cox regression analysis showed higher readmission events in females (HR: 1.07, 95% CI: 1.01-1.13, p < 0.010) when compared to males. Multivariate regression analysis for inpatient mortality and length of stay was higher for females than males (p < 0.01 for both).
Conclusion
Women experienced higher readmission rates and had worse outcomes including inpatient mortality and higher length of stay compared to their male counterparts. These findings suggest that female patients may require closer monitoring and targeted intervention to improve these outcomes.