TY - JOUR
T1 - Atrial Fibrillation and the Weekend Effect Regarding Cardioversion, Length of Stay, Readmission, and Mortality
AU - Zaremski, Lynn
AU - Mazori, Alon
AU - Shulman, Eric
AU - Kargoli, Faraj
AU - Shah, Tina
AU - Chudow, Jay Julius
AU - Leiderman, Ephraim
AU - Di Biase, Luigi
AU - Fisher, John
AU - Ferrick, Kevin
AU - Krumerman, Andrew
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2018 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.
PY - 2018/9/1
Y1 - 2018/9/1
N2 - Background: The weekend effect is a phenomenon in which worse outcomes have been found to occur over the weekend. This has been investigated in the context of stroke, ST-elevation myocardial infarction, and pulmonary embolism among others. Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained arrhythmia, and admissions for AF have been increasing. However, few studies exist investigating the existence of a weekend effect regarding AF. Previous studies have been limited by a pragmatic but unrealistic definition of the weekend starting at midnight on Friday and ending midnight on Sunday. In addition, the studies that exist have conflicting data regarding outcomes of mortality and length of stay (LOS). Methods: Over a 5-year period, 3233 patients with a primary diagnosis of AF were admitted to an academic center. A retrospective analysis was performed to determine rates of cardioversion, 30-day readmission, 30-day mortality, LOS, and time to cardioversion among patients admitted over the weekend compared with those admitted during the work week. Weekend was defined as the 48-hour period, including Saturday and Sunday. Results: Baseline demographics and common risk factors were found to be equivalent in weekend admissions compared with weekday admissions. These characteristics were found to be equivalent in those who underwent cardioversion and those who did not. There was no statistically significant difference between groups in odds of cardioversion, 30-day readmission, or 30-day mortality. Difference in mean LOS and mean time to cardioversion was not statistically significant between groups. Conclusion: In conclusion, a weekend effect was not identified regarding AF in an academic hospital.
AB - Background: The weekend effect is a phenomenon in which worse outcomes have been found to occur over the weekend. This has been investigated in the context of stroke, ST-elevation myocardial infarction, and pulmonary embolism among others. Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained arrhythmia, and admissions for AF have been increasing. However, few studies exist investigating the existence of a weekend effect regarding AF. Previous studies have been limited by a pragmatic but unrealistic definition of the weekend starting at midnight on Friday and ending midnight on Sunday. In addition, the studies that exist have conflicting data regarding outcomes of mortality and length of stay (LOS). Methods: Over a 5-year period, 3233 patients with a primary diagnosis of AF were admitted to an academic center. A retrospective analysis was performed to determine rates of cardioversion, 30-day readmission, 30-day mortality, LOS, and time to cardioversion among patients admitted over the weekend compared with those admitted during the work week. Weekend was defined as the 48-hour period, including Saturday and Sunday. Results: Baseline demographics and common risk factors were found to be equivalent in weekend admissions compared with weekday admissions. These characteristics were found to be equivalent in those who underwent cardioversion and those who did not. There was no statistically significant difference between groups in odds of cardioversion, 30-day readmission, or 30-day mortality. Difference in mean LOS and mean time to cardioversion was not statistically significant between groups. Conclusion: In conclusion, a weekend effect was not identified regarding AF in an academic hospital.
KW - atrial fibrillation
KW - length of stay
KW - mortality
KW - weekend effect
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85055859746&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1097/HPC.0000000000000128
DO - 10.1097/HPC.0000000000000128
M3 - Article
C2 - 30044252
AN - SCOPUS:85055859746
SN - 1535-282X
VL - 17
SP - 111
EP - 113
JO - Critical Pathways in Cardiology
JF - Critical Pathways in Cardiology
IS - 3
ER -