Frank X Scheuermeyer1,2, Gary Andolfatto3, Jim Christenson1, Cristina Villa-Roel4, Brian Rowe4. 1. Department of Emergency Medicine, St Paul's Hospital and the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC. 2. Department of Emergency Medicine, South Health Campus and the University of Calgary, Calgary, AB. 3. Department of Emergency Medicine, Lions Gate Hospital the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC. 4. Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Alberta Hospital and the University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
Abstract
BACKGROUND:Emergency department (ED) patients with uncomplicated atrial fibrillation (AF) of less than 48 hours may be safely managed with rhythm control. Although both chemical-first and electrical-first strategies have been advocated, there are no comparative effectiveness data to guide clinicians. METHODS:At six urban Canadian centers, ED patients ages 18 to 75 with uncomplicated symptomatic AF of less than 48 hours and CHADS2 score of 0 or 1 were randomized using concealed allocation in a 1:1 ratio to one of the following strategies: 1) chemical cardioversion with procainamide infusion, followed by electrical countershock if unsuccessful; or 2) electrical cardioversion, followed by procainamide infusion if unsuccessful. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients discharged within 4 hours of arrival. Secondary outcomes included ED length-of-stay (LOS); prespecified ED-based adverse events; and 30-day ED revisits, hospitalizations, strokes, deaths, and quality of life (QoL). RESULTS:Eighty-four patients were analyzed: 41 in the chemical-first group and 43 in the electrical-first group. Groups were balanced in terms of age, sex, vital signs, and CHADS2 scores. All patients were discharged home, with 83 (99%) in sinus rhythm. In the chemical-first group, 13 of 41 patients (32%) were discharged within 4 hours compared to 29 of 43 patients (67%) in the electrical-first group (p = 0.001). In the chemical-first group, the median ED LOS was 5.1 hours (interquartile range [IQR] = 3.5 to 5.9 hours) compared to 3.5 hours (IQR = 2.4 to 4.6 hours) in the electrical-first group, for a median difference of 1.2 hours (95% confidence interval = 0.4 to 2.0 hours, p < 0.001). No patients experienced stroke or death. All other outcomes, including adverse events, ED revisits, and QoL, were similar. CONCLUSION: In uncomplicated ED AF patients managed with rhythm control, chemical-first and electrical-first strategies both appear to be successful and well tolerated; however, an electrical-first strategy results in a significantly shorter ED LOS.
RCT Entities:
BACKGROUND: Emergency department (ED) patients with uncomplicated atrial fibrillation (AF) of less than 48 hours may be safely managed with rhythm control. Although both chemical-first and electrical-first strategies have been advocated, there are no comparative effectiveness data to guide clinicians. METHODS: At six urban Canadian centers, ED patients ages 18 to 75 with uncomplicated symptomatic AF of less than 48 hours and CHADS2 score of 0 or 1 were randomized using concealed allocation in a 1:1 ratio to one of the following strategies: 1) chemical cardioversion with procainamide infusion, followed by electrical countershock if unsuccessful; or 2) electrical cardioversion, followed by procainamide infusion if unsuccessful. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients discharged within 4 hours of arrival. Secondary outcomes included ED length-of-stay (LOS); prespecified ED-based adverse events; and 30-day ED revisits, hospitalizations, strokes, deaths, and quality of life (QoL). RESULTS: Eighty-four patients were analyzed: 41 in the chemical-first group and 43 in the electrical-first group. Groups were balanced in terms of age, sex, vital signs, and CHADS2 scores. All patients were discharged home, with 83 (99%) in sinus rhythm. In the chemical-first group, 13 of 41 patients (32%) were discharged within 4 hours compared to 29 of 43 patients (67%) in the electrical-first group (p = 0.001). In the chemical-first group, the median ED LOS was 5.1 hours (interquartile range [IQR] = 3.5 to 5.9 hours) compared to 3.5 hours (IQR = 2.4 to 4.6 hours) in the electrical-first group, for a median difference of 1.2 hours (95% confidence interval = 0.4 to 2.0 hours, p < 0.001). No patients experienced stroke or death. All other outcomes, including adverse events, ED revisits, and QoL, were similar. CONCLUSION: In uncomplicated ED AFpatients managed with rhythm control, chemical-first and electrical-first strategies both appear to be successful and well tolerated; however, an electrical-first strategy results in a significantly shorter ED LOS.
Authors: Brenton M Wong; Jeffrey J Perry; Wei Cheng; Bo Zheng; Kevin Guo; Monica Taljaard; Allan C Skanes; Ian G Stiell Journal: CJEM Date: 2021-03-14 Impact factor: 2.410
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Authors: Ian G Stiell; Kerstin de Wit; Frank X Scheuermeyer; Alain Vadeboncoeur; Paul Angaran; Debra Eagles; Ian D Graham; Clare L Atzema; Patrick M Archambault; Troy Tebbenham; Andrew D McRae; Warren J Cheung; Ratika Parkash; Marc W Deyell; Geneviève Baril; Rick Mann; Rupinder Sahsi; Suneel Upadhye; Erica Brown; Jennifer Brinkhurst; Christian Chabot; Allan Skanes Journal: CJEM Date: 2021-08-12 Impact factor: 2.410