Baseline characteristics of study population
| Characteristics | All patients | ||
| Digoxin(n = 802) | No digoxin(n = 2022) | p Value | |
| Age (years), mean (SD) {median} | 78 (10) {80} | 73 (13) {75) | <0.001 |
| Male sex | 367 (46) | 1179 (58) | <0.001 |
| Permanent AF | 545 (68) | 641 (32) | <0.001 |
| Years since first diagnosis of AF, mean (SD) {median} | 2.7 (4.0) {0.5} | 1.7 (3.1) {0.0} | <0.001 |
| Days at hospital preceding 3 years, mean (SD) {median} | 17 (24) {7} | 11 (24) {3} | <0.001 |
| CHADS2-score, mean (SD) {median}* | 2.4 (1.3) {2} | 1.8 (1.4) {2} | <0.001 |
| Lone AF | 9 (1) | 135 (7) | <0.001 |
| Myocardial infarction (previous) | 173 (22) | 357 (18) | 0.016 |
| Heart failure (past or present) | 511 (64) | 749 (37) | <0.001 |
| LVEF (%), mean (SD) {median}† | 43 (13) {50} | 47 (10) {50} | <0.001 |
| Left atrial diameter (mm), mean (SD) {median}† | 47 (7) {46} | 44 (7) {44} | <0.001 |
| Valvular defect | 264 (33) | 521 (26) | <0.001 |
| Valve surgery (previous) | 37 (5) | 88 (4) | 0.76 |
| Pacemaker | 60 (7) | 233 (12) | 0.001 |
| Ischaemic stroke/TIA (previous) | 167 (21) | 284 (14) | <0.001 |
| Cerebral haemorrhage (previous) | 15 (2) | 26 (1) | 0.24 |
| Hypertension | 367 (46) | 995 (49) | 0.10 |
| Peripheral arterial disease | 121 (15) | 216 (11) | 0.001 |
| Chronic pulmonary disease | 207 (26) | 327 (16) | <0.001 |
| Renal failure (past or present) | 13 (2) | 47 (2) | 0.24 |
| Diabetes mellitus | 174 (22) | 316 (16) | <0.001 |
| Thyroid disease (past or present) | 119 (15) | 420 (21) | 0.17 |
| Cancer <3 years | 68 (8) | 122 (6) | 0.02 |
| Alcohol/drug abuse | 39 (5) | 78 (4) | 0.23 |
| Contraindication against warfarin | 199 (25) | 350 (17) | <0.001 |
| Warfarin | 401 (50) | 787 (39) | <0.001 |
| ASA | 322 (40) | 822 (41) | 0.81 |
| β Blocker | 414 (52) | 1018 (50) | 0.54 |
| Sotalol | 45 (6) | 426 (21) | <0.001 |
| Class 1 antiarrhythmic agents | 5 (1) | 84 (4) | <0.001 |
| Amiodarone | 3 (0.4) | 46 (2) | <0.001 |
| ACE-inhibitor/ARB | 321 (40) | 657 (32) | <0.001 |
| Statin | 119 (15) | 420 (21) | <0.001 |
Results are shown as number (%) unless stated otherwise.
↵* CHADS2 is a scoring system for assessment of stroke risk in atrial fibrillation. One point is given for each of congestive heart failure, hypertension, age ≥75 years and diabetes mellitus. Two points are given for a previous ischaemic stroke event, transient ischaemic attack or systemic embolisation episode.
↵† Echocardiography was carried out in 1924/2824 patients (68%). Among propensity score matched patients 904/1342 patients (67%) were examined by echocardiography.
AF, atrial fibrillation; ACE, angiotensin converting enzyme; ARB, angiotensin receptor blocker; ASA, acetylsalicylic acid; LVEF, left ventricular ejection fraction; TIA, transient ischaemic attack.