Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a risk factor for stroke. This study was undertaken to determine the influence of AF on the mortality of stroke patients and on the causes of death after a stroke event.
Patients with first ischemic stroke who were .35 to 74 years old and registered in the FINMONICA stroke register during 1982 through 1992 were analyzed (n = 6912). There were 642 patients with AF (9.3%) (mean age, 67 years) and 6270 patients without AF (90.3%) (mean age, 63 years). The association between AF and stroke mortality was investigated by use of logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards models.
Mortality was higher in the AF group both at 28 days (19.5% versus 14.4%, P