Clinical factors associated with abandonment of a rate-control or a rhythm-control strategy for the management of atrial fibrillation in the AFFIRM study.

Objective: The objective of the current study was to determine the clinical factors that were associated with abandonment of a rate-control or a rhythm-control strategy in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF).

Background: Although the AFFIRM Study demonstrated that outcomes are similar with a primary strategy of rate-control or rhythm-control for AF, there may be clinical or demographic factors associated with abandonment of the initial treatment strategy. Knowledge of these risk factors would be useful so that patients may be given appropriate initial therapy and, as appropriate, switched to alternative treatments earlier.

Natural history and predictors of temporary epicardial pacemaker wire function in patients after open heart surgery.

Study Objectives: To assess the short-term reliability of temporary epicardial pacing wires in patients after open heart surgery and to determine the influence of preoperative factors on the performance of these wires.

Patients And Methods: In this prospective, longitudinal cohort study, 60 patients (41 men) with a mean age of 66.8 +/- 8.