Clinical Profiles of Hospitalized Middle Eastern Patients With Nonvalvular Atrial Fibrillation: Analysis From the JoFib Study
Background Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most prevalent sustained arrhythmia and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Data on AF in hospitalized patients in the Middle East are limited. Methods We analyzed 536 hospitalized patients with nonvalvular AF from the Jordan atrial fibrillation (JoFib) registry. A prospective multicenter study of 2020 patients enrolled between May 2019 and December 2020. Patients were stratified into new‐onset atrial fibrillation (NOAF) and previously diagnosed AF, and their clinical characteristics and in‐hospital outcomes were compared. Results The cohort had a mean age of 70.2 ± 14.1 years, and 48.7% were male. The most common comorbidities were hypertension (77.6%), diabetes (52.1%), and heart failure (31.3%). NOAF patients were significantly younger and more likely to be smokers, whereas those with prior AF had more comorbidities and larger left atrial size. Overall, in‐hospital mortality was 6.7% but was significantly higher in NOAF patients. Conclusions Hospitalized patients with NOAF are younger, more often smokers, and face higher in‐hospital mortality compared with chronic AF, underscoring the need for early recognition and risk factor modification to prevent hospitalization. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03917992.