Background: Cardiovascular diseases accounted for an estimated 19.8 million deaths globally in 2019, representing 32% of all deaths, with heart failure (HF) contributing to 38% of these deaths.
Aim: This study aims to explore the relationship between atrial fibrillation (AF) and the risk of short-term rehospitalization in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF).
Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted at the Makassar Cardiac Center of RSUP Dr. Wahidin Sudirohusodo from February 2023 to February 2024. Data were collected from patients diagnosed with HFrEF within the first 24 hours of hospital admission. Follow-up assessments were performed 90 days after discharge to evaluate rehospitalization rates among the participants.
Results: Among 110 patients with HFrEF, the mean age was 56.8 ± 13.0 years, and 67.3% were male. Patients with AF had an eightfold higher risk of rehospitalization at 30 days (p = 0.039) and a 1.4-fold higher risk at 90 days (p = 0.003) compared to those without AF. Additionally, for every 1 bpm increase in heart rate, the odds of rehospitalization at 90 days increased by 2.4% (p = 0.030). However, the subtype of AF did not significantly affect the likelihood of rehospitalization.
Conclusions: AF was significantly associated with an increased risk of rehospitalization in patients with HFrEF. These findings underscore the importance of early identification and management of AF in this patient population to potentially reduce rehospitalization rates and improve clinical outcomes.
