Temporal Trends of Ischemic Stroke Risk in Patients With Incident Atrial Fibrillation Before Anticoagulation.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a major risk factor for ischemic stroke (IS), but whether the magnitude of this risk has changed over time is unknown.

Objectives: This study sought to investigate temporal trends in IS rates in patients with incident AF before oral anticoagulant agent (OAC) therapy.

Methods: The nationwide FinACAF (Finnish Anticoagulation in Atrial Fibrillation) study covers patients with AF at all levels of care in Finland from 2007 to 2018.

Temporal trends of catheter ablation procedures in patients with atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter: A nationwide cohort study.

Background: Catheter ablation is a well-established treatment to prevent atrial fibrillation (AF) and atrial flutter (AFL) recurrences and to relieve symptoms, whereas pacemaker implantation and atrioventricular node (AVN) ablation is used for rate control when medical therapy fails.

Aims: We investigated temporal trends and patient characteristics in catheter ablation procedures for AF, AFL and AVN in Finland between 2012-2018.

Methods: Finnish AntiCoagulation in Atrial Fibrillation (FinACAF) is a registry-based study including all patients with AF or AFL in Finland between 2012-2018.

Vascular disease and ischemic stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation: Temporal trends and age-related differences.

Background And Aims: We examined temporal trends and age-related differences in the prevalence of vascular diseases and in their association with ischemic stroke (IS) risk in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF).

Methods: The registry-based FinACAF study covered all patients with AF in Finland during 2007-2018. Incidence rate ratios (IRRs) of IS were computed with Poisson regression, and the interaction of vascular diseases with age and calendar year period was assessed.

Comorbidity and Medication Trends in Chronic Kidney Disease and Incident Atrial Fibrillation: A Nationwide Cohort Study.

Introduction: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with an increased incidence of atrial fibrillation (AF). Also, patients with AF are prone to adverse kidney outcomes. We examined comorbidities and medication use in patients with CKD and incident AF.

Thromboembolic and bleeding complications after elective cardioversion of atrial fibrillation: a nationwide cohort study.

Aims: Elective cardioversion (ECV) is routinely used in atrial fibrillation (AF) to restore sinus rhythm. However, it includes a risk of thromboembolism even during adequate oral anticoagulation treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the risk of thromboembolic and bleeding complications after ECV in a real-life setting utilizing data from a large AF population.

Ischaemic stroke in women with atrial fibrillation: temporal trends and clinical implications.

Background And Aims: Female sex has been linked with higher risk of ischaemic stroke (IS) in atrial fibrillation (AF), but no prior study has examined temporal trends in the IS risk associated with female sex.

Methods: The registry-linkage Finnish AntiCoagulation in Atrial Fibrillation (FinACAF) study included all patients with AF in Finland from 2007 to 2018. Ischaemic stroke rates and rate ratios were computed.

A realist evaluation of policy interventions to reduce public subsidies of private dental care in Finland.

Objectives: The Finnish dental care market operates as a dual system, divided between a regulated, affordable public sector and a less regulated, more expensive private sector that receives public subsidies. In 2015 and 2016, two policy interventions were introduced to reduce these subsidies for private dental services. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of these policy changes on the dental care market.

Ischemic Stroke Temporally Associated With New-Onset Atrial Fibrillation: A Population-Based Registry-Linkage Study.

Background: Limited data exist on the temporal relationship between new-onset atrial fibrillation (AF) and ischemic stroke and its impact on patients' clinical characteristics and mortality.

Methods: A population-based registry-linkage database includes all patients with new-onset AF in Finland from 2007 to 2018. Ischemic stroke temporally associated with AF (ISTAF) was defined as an ischemic stroke occurring within ±30 days from the first AF diagnosis.

How to extend value-based healthcare to population-based healthcare systems? Defining an outcome-based segmentation model for health authority.

Objectives: Value-based healthcare (VBHC) is considered the most promising guiding principle for a new generation of health service production. Many countries have attempted to apply VBHC to managerial and clinical decision-making. However, implementation remains in its infancy and varies between countries.

Temporal Relation Between Myocardial Infarction and New-Onset Atrial Fibrillation: Results from a Nationwide Registry Study.

Myocardial infarction (MI) and atrial fibrillation (AF) are commonly seen in the same patient. In this study, we evaluated the temporal relations and prognosis of MI and AF. This is a substudy of the nationwide registry-based Finnish Anticoagulation in Atrial Fibrillation (FinACAF) study, comprising all Finnish patients with new-onset AF from 2010 to 2017.

Temporal trends of gender disparities in oral anticoagulant use in patients with atrial fibrillation.

Aims: To investigate sex-specific temporal trends in the initiation of oral anticoagulant (OAC) therapy among patients diagnosed with atrial fibrillation (AF) in Finland between 2007 and 2018.

Methods: The registry-linkage Finnish AntiCoagulation in Atrial Fibrillation (FinACAF) Study included all patients with incident AF in Finland from 2007 to 2018. The primary outcome was the initiation of any OAC therapy.

Multimorbidity transitions and the associated healthcare cost among the Finnish adult population during a two-year follow-up.

Background: Ageing of the population increases the prevalence and coexistence of many chronic diseases; a condition called multimorbidity. In Finland, information on the significance of multimorbidity and its relation to the sustainability of healthcare is scarce.

Aim: To assess the prevalence of multimorbidity, the transitions between patient groups with and without multiple diseases and the associated healthcare cost in Finland in 2017-2019.

Lower respiratory tract infections among newly diagnosed sleep apnea patients.

Background: Sleep apnea is associated with chronic comorbidities and acute complications. Existing data suggest that sleep apnea may predispose to an increased risk and severity of respiratory tract infections.

Methods: We investigated the incidence of lower respiratory tract infections in the first and second year before and after diagnosis of sleep apnea in a Finnish nationwide, population-based, retrospective case-control study based on linking data from the national health care registers for primary and secondary care from 2015-2019.

Trends and burden of diabetes in patients with atrial fibrillation during 2007-2018: A Finnish nationwide cohort study.

Aims: We assessed the temporal trends in the prevalence of diabetes and in its associations with outcomes among patients with atrial fibrillation (AF).

Methods: The registry-based FinACAF study covered all patients with incident AF in Finland between 2007 and 2018. Ischemic stroke (IS) and mortality rates were computed using Poisson regression model.

Rural-urban and geographical differences in prognosis of atrial fibrillation in Finland: a nationwide cohort study.

Aims: Rural-urban disparities have been reported in the outcomes of cardiovascular diseases. We assessed whether rural-urban or other geographical disparities exist in the risk of ischemic stroke (IS) and death in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) in Finland.

Methods: The registry-based FinACAF cohort study covers all patients with AF from all levels of care in Finland from 2007 to 2018.

Oral Anticoagulant Therapy and Risk of Admission to Long-Term Care in patients With Atrial Fibrillation: A Nationwide Cohort Study.

Objectives: The impact of oral anticoagulants (OACs) on the need of long-term care (LTC) in the aging and multimorbid population of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) is unknown. We conducted a nationwide cohort study to evaluate the effect of OACs on the need of LTC.

Design: Retrospective nationwide cohort study.

Aortic Stenosis and Outcomes in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation: A Nationwide Cohort Study.

Background Patients with aortic stenosis (AS) have been underrepresented in the trials evaluating direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in atrial fibrillation (AF). We aimed to assess whether AS impacts outcomes in patients with AF and estimate the effects of DOACs versus warfarin in patients with AF and AS. Methods and Results The registry-based FinACAF (Finnish Anticoagulation in Atrial Fibrillation) study covered all patients with AF diagnosed during 2007 to 2018 in Finland.

Association of travel time with mental health service use in primary health care according to contact type - a register-based study in Kainuu, Finland.

Background: The study aim was to analyse how mental health services are used in different parts of the Kainuu region in Finland and whether travel time to primary health care services is associated with the use of different contact types (in-person visits, remote contacts, home visits).

Methods: The study population included adults who had used mental health services under primary health care (N = 7643) between 2015 and 2019. The travel times to the nearest health centre in a municipality were estimated as the population-weighted average drive time in postal code areas.

Early start of anti-dementia medication is associated with lower health and social care costs in Alzheimer´s patients: a Finnish nationwide register study.

Objectives: To evaluate the association between health and social care costs and early start of anti-dementia medication in a nationwide cohort of Finnish Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients.

Methods: The cohort included 7454 Finnish AD patients who had their first AD diagnosis in 2012 and lived at home at the time of diagnosis. Data were collected retrospectively from the Finnish national health and social care registers.