OBJECTIVETo explore the clinical characteristics and risk factors of peripheral arterial thromboembolism (PAT) in patients with non valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF).

METHODSA total of 18 456 patients admitted in our hospital and diagnosed with NVAF were included in this study. The study population was divided into three groups [PAT group, cerebral thromboembolism (CT) group and no thromboembolism group]. Risk factors of PAT were assessed by multivariate logistic regression.

RESULTSThe incidence of PAT and CT was 1.1% (204 cases) and 27.8% (5 132 cases), respectively. The in-hospital mortality of PAT group was 11.8% (24/204), in which the in-hospital mortality due to mesenteric arterial thromboembolism (37.5%, 6/16) was the highest. Multivariate logistic regression indicated that vascular disease (OR = 3.9, 95% CI 2.13-7.08, P < 0.01), age ≥ 65 years (OR = 2.7, 95% CI 1.66-4.27, P < 0.01), hypertension (OR = 2.1, 95% CI 1.36-3.34, P < 0.01), history of stroke/TIA/arterial thromboembolism (OR = 2.0, 95% CI 1.26-3.17, P < 0.01) and congestive heart failure (OR = 1.9, 95% CI 1.22-2.86, P < 0.01) were independent risk factors of PAT. Prevalence of vascular disease and histories of PAT was higher in PAT group than in CT group (P < 0.01), while CHADS2 and CHA2DS2VASc scores were similar between the PAT and CT groups.

CONCLUSIONPAT is not uncommon in NVAF patients, risk factors for PAT in NVAF patients are vascular disease, advanced age, hypertension, history of stroke/TIA/arterial thromboembolism and congestive heart failure.