Yonsei Med J.  2022 Oct;63(10):892-901. 10.3349/ymj.2022.0157.

Validation of Biomarker-Based ABCD Score in Atrial Fibrillation Patients with a Non-Gender CHA₂DS₂ -VASc Score 0–1: A Korean Multi-Center Cohort

• Jung M
• Byeon K
• Kang KW
• Park YM
• Hwang YM
• Lee SH
• Jin ES
• Roh SY
• Kim JS
• Ahn J
• Lee SR
• Choi EK
• Ahn Ms
• Lee EM
• Park HC
• Lee KH
• Kim M
• Choi JH
• Ko JS
• Kim JB
• Kim C
• Lip GY
• Shin SY
• Clinical Survey on Stroke Prevention in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation (CS-SPAF) Investigators

• KMID: 2533379
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3349/ymj.2022.0157

Abstract

Purpose
Atrial fibrillation (AF) patients with low to intermediate risk, defined as non-gender CHA₂DS₂-VASc score of 0–1, are still at risk of stroke. This study verified the usefulness of ABCD score [age (≥60 years), B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) or N-terminal pro-BNP (≥300 pg/mL), creatinine clearance (<50 mL/min/1.73 m² ), and dimension of the left atrium (≥45 mm)] for stroke risk stratification in non-gender CHA₂DS₂-VASc score 0–1.
Materials and Methods
This multi-center cohort study retrospectively analyzed AF patients with non-gender CHA₂DS₂-VASc score 0–1. The primary endpoint was the incidence of stroke with or without antithrombotic therapy (ATT). An ABCD score was validated.
Results
Overall, 2694 patients [56.3±9.5 years; female, 726 (26.9%)] were followed-up for 4.0±2.8 years. The overall stroke rate was 0.84/100 person-years (P-Y), stratified as follows: 0.46/100 P-Y for an ABCD score of 0; 1.02/100 P-Y for an ABCD score ≥1. The ABCD score was superior to non-gender CHA₂DS₂-VASc score in the stroke risk stratification (C-index=0.618, p=0.015; net reclassification improvement=0.576, p=0.040; integrated differential improvement=0.033, p=0.066). ATT was prescribed in 2353 patients (86.5%), and the stroke rate was significantly lower in patients receiving non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant (NOAC) therapy and an ABCD score ≥1 than in those without ATT (0.44/100 P–Y vs. 1.55/100 P-Y; hazard ratio=0.26, 95% confidence interval 0.11–0.63, p=0.003).
Conclusion
The biomarker-based ABCD score demonstrated improved stroke risk stratification in AF patients with non-gender CHA₂DS₂-VASc score 0–1. Furthermore, NOAC with an ABCD score ≥1 was associated with significantly lower stroke rate in AF patients with non-gender CHA₂DS₂-VASc score 0–1.

Keyword

Atrial fibrillation; risk stratification; stroke; ABCD score