Meta-Analysis Comparing The Frequency Of Carotid Artery Stenosis In Patients With Atrial Fibrillatio

Researchers examined the link of carotid stenosis (CS) and atrial fibrillation (AF) with regard to risk of stroke by summarizing all relevant published studies found in MEDLINE and Embase through February 27, 2020 (48 studies). In AF patients, the pooled prevalence of CS was identified to be 12.4%, ranging from 4.4% to 24.3%. The pooled prevalence of carotid plaque was estimated to be 48.4%. In patients experiencing CS, the prevalence of AF was reported to be 9.3%, ranging from 3.6% to 10.0%, and this prevalence was found to be much higher among patients receiving carotid artery stenting vs those receiving carotid endarterectomy. Overall, findings revealed a frequent co-existence of AF and CS, with approximately one in ten patients with AF experiencing CS, and vice versa. Nearly half of AF patients were found to have non-stenotic carotid disease.

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