OBJECTIVETo analyze the level of exposure and cluster of risk factors to stroke for patients with non valvular atrial fibrillation.

METHODSA questionnaire survey was conducted among 583 patients with non valvular atrial fibrillation, randomly selected from 8 general hospitals and 7 community health service centers located in the 8 districts in Beijing city in 2006.

RESULTS133 patients attacked stroke and the prevalence of stroke in the total 583 patients was 22.8%. 78 patients attacked stroke after being diagnosed as atrial fibrillation with the prevalence related to atrial fibrillation as 14.3%. The levels of exposure related to age, duration of atrial fibrillation, histories of hypertension, diabetes and dyslipidemia were significantly different between stroke and non-stroke patients (P < 0.05). Data from multiple variables logistic regression analysis showed that age, duration of atrial fibrillation, history of dyslipidemia and history of diabetes increased the risk of stroke with odds ratio as 1.06, 2.08, 1.82, 1.79 respectively (95%CI was not including 1). The risk of stroke among those having 3 or 4 risk factors was 4.36 and 4.51 times of those without risk factor after adjusting for age, sex and duration of atrial fibrillation.

CONCLUSIONAge, duration of atrial fibrillation, history of dyslipidemia and history of diabetes were the main risk factors related to stroke and the clustering of risk factors would further increase the risk. It is important to control blood pressure, blood surge and lipid besides therapy of anticoagulation or antiplatelet for patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation.