European Journal of Epidemiology

Gabet, Amélie; Chatignoux, Edouard; Billionnet, Cécile; Maura, Géric; Giroud, Maurice; Béjot, Yannick; Olié, Valérie

doi: 10.1007/s10654-019-00594-3pmid: 31873812

Few studies are available on atrial fibrillation (AF) burden at a whole country scale. The objective was to estimate the rate of AF patients newly treated with oral anticoagulants (OAC) in France each year between 2010 and 2016 and to describe age and gender differences. We used the French national health data system. For each year between 2010 and 2016, we identified patients aged over 20 initiating OAC. OAC indicated for the treatment of AF was determined by hospitalization diagnoses, specific procedures and registered long-term disease status, or a multiple imputation process for patients with no recorded information as to why they initiated OAC. Among the 421,453 individuals initiating OAC treatment in 2016, the estimated number of newly treated AF patients was 210,131, women accounting for 46%, patients under 65 years old 17%, and 21.4% of patients living in most deprived area. Age-standardized rates reached 400/100,000 inhabitants. Approximately 19% of patients were recently hospitalized for heart failure and 7% for stroke. Age-standardized rates increased by 35% over the study period in both genders, with a marked increase in patients under 55 (+ 41%) and those over 85 years old (+ 60%). Annual rates of AF patients newly treated with OAC increased by 35% between 2010 and 2016. Important differences in rates were observed according to age, gender and the deprivation level of the living area.