Patient characteristics at baseline according to age groups
| Age group (years) | p value* | ||||
| <75 | ≥75 to <80 | ≥80 to <85 | ≥85 | ||
| Total number of patients | 10 855 | 4231 | 2305 | 722 | |
| Male sex, n (%) | 7318 (67.4) | 2518 (59.5) | 1296 (56.2) | 382 (52.9) | <0.0001 |
| Age (years), mean±SD | 66.2±6.9 | 76.8±1.4 | 81.7±1.4 | 86.8±2.2 | N/A |
| Systolic blood pressure (mmHg), mean±SD | 130±17.5 | 132±17.4 | 132±17.2 | 131±17.3 | <0.0001 |
| Body weight (kg), mean±SD | 86.3±20.9 | 78.8±16.5 | 76.4±15.6 | 71.7±14.0 | <0.0001 |
| eGFR, mean±SD | 82.9±42.3 | 62.3±17.9 | 54.7±20.1 | 45.8±12.2 | <0.0001 |
| eGFR <50 mL/min, n (%) | 941 (8.7) | 1034 (24.4) | 996 (43.2) | 492 (68.1) | <0.0001 |
| eGFR 50 to ≤80 mL/min, n (%) | 4714 (43.4) | 2556 (60.4) | 1148 (49.8) | 224 (31.0) | <0.0001 |
| eGFR >80 mL/min, n(%) | 5190 (47.8) | 363 (15.0) | 160 (6.9) | 6 (0.8) | <0.0001 |
| Type of AF | |||||
| Persistent, n (%) | 3436 (31.7) | 1345 (31.8) | 761 (33.0) | 247 (34.2) | 0.3425 |
| Paroxysmal, n (%) | 3617 (33.3) | 1377 (32.5) | 724 (31.4) | 225 (31.2) | 0.2190 |
| Permanent, n (%) | 3797 (35.0) | 1508 (35.6) | 820 (35.6) | 250 (34.6) | 0.8445 |
| AF first diagnosis >2 years, n (%) | 5161 (47.5) | 2008 (47.5) | 1016 (44.1) | 310 (42.9) | 0.0024 |
| AF on baseline ECG, n (%) | 7786 (71.7) | 3136 (74.1) | 1724 (74.8) | 578 (80.1) | <0.0001 |
| CHADS2 score, mean±SD | 1.85±1.0 | 2.57±1.1 | 2.58±1.1 | 2.67±1.1 | <0.0001 |
| 0 or 1, n (%) | 4731 (43.6) | 635 (15.0) | 325 (14.1) | 84 (11.6) | <0.0001 |
| 2, n (%) | 3461 (31.9) | 1729 (40.9) | 968 (42.0) | 297 (41.1) | <0.0001 |
| >2, n (%) | 2662 (24.5) | 1867 (44.1) | 1012 (43.9) | 341 (47.2) | <0.0001 |
| CHA2DS2–VASc score, mean±SD | 3.15±1.2 | 4.23±1.4 | 4.28±1.3 | 4.40±1.4 | <0.0001 |
| 0 or 1, n (%) | 630 (5.8) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | <0.0001 |
| 2, n (%) | 2880 (26.5) | 328 (7.8) | 161 (7.0) | 39 (5.4) | <0.0001 |
| >2, n (%) | 7344 (67.7) | 3903 (92.2) | 2144 (93.0) | 683 (94.6) | <0.0001 |
| Risk factors for stroke | |||||
| Previous stroke or TIA, n (%) | 2266 (20.9) | 767 (18.1) | 430 (18.7) | 160 (22.2) | 0.0002 |
| Heart failure, n (%) | 3946 (36.4) | 1026 (24.2) | 599 (26.0) | 222 (30.7) | <0.0001 |
| Hypertension, receiving treatment, n (%) | 8810 (81.2) | 3182 (75.2) | 1750 (75.9) | 541 (74.9) | <0.0001 |
| Diabetes mellitus, n (%) | 2774 (25.6) | 898 (21.2) | 426 (18.5) | 123 (17.0) | <0.0001 |
| Previous myocardial infarction, n (%) | 1753 (16.1) | 712 (16.8) | 409 (17.7) | 131 (18.1) | 0.1601 |
| Peripheral arterial disease, n (%) | 351 (3.2) | 176 (4.2) | 108 (4.7) | 46 (6.4) | <0.0001 |
| Coronary artery disease, n (%) | 2955 (27.2) | 1209 (28.6) | 675 (29.3) | 195 (27.0) | 0.1213 |
| Valvular heart disease, n (%) | 2132 (19.6) | 977 (23.1) | 629 (27.3) | 206 (28.5) | <0.0001 |
| Concomitant medications at baseline | |||||
| Aspirin, n (%) | 4356 (40.1) | 1621 (38.3) | 920 (39.9) | 301 (41.7) | 0.1667 |
| ARB or ACE inhibitor, n (%) | 7537 (69.4) | 2625 (62.0) | 1401 (60.8) | 416 (57.6) | <0.0001 |
| Beta blocker, n (%) | 7169 (66.0) | 2517 (59.5) | 1317 (57.1) | 372 (51.5) | <0.0001 |
| Amiodarone, n (%) | 1294 (11.9) | 394 (9.3) | 190 (8.2) | 55 (7.6) | <0.0001 |
| PPI or H2 receptor antagonist, n (%) | 1716 (15.8) | 752 (17.8) | 516 (22.4) | 160 (22.2) | <0.0001 |
| On OAC at time of randomisation, n (%) | 6782 (62.5) | 2651 (62.7) | 1360 (59.0) | 396 (54.8) | <0.0001 |
*Null hypothesis of no difference: categorical variables compared using the χ2, continuous variables using analysis of variance.
AF, atrial fibrillation; ARB, angiotensin receptor blocker; ECG, electrocardiogram; eGFR, estimated glomerular filtration rate; OAC, oral anticoagulation; PPI, proton-pump inhibitor; TIA, transient ischemic attack.