A-fib linked to worse hospital outcomes in multiple myeloma

Overall, 13.1 percent of hospitalized patients with multiple myeloma (MM) have atrial fibrillation, which is associated with worse outcomes, according to a study recently published in Cureus.

Inimfon Jackson, M.D., M.P.H., Ph.D., from Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia, and colleagues conducted a retrospective cohort analysis using data from the National Inpatient Sample from 2016 to 2018 to explore the prevalence of atrial fibrillation among MM patients and the impact of atrial fibrillation on outcomes.

The researchers found that 13.1 percent of the 68,267 hospitalizations with a diagnosis of MM reported having atrial fibrillation. Compared with those without atrial fibrillation, MM patients with atrial fibrillation had increased odds of inpatient all-cause mortality (adjusted odds ratio, 1.16). In addition, they had increased odds of having a length of stay of more than five days relative to five days or less (adjusted odds ratio, 1.29). Compared with those without atrial fibrillation, MM patients with atrial fibrillation had hospital costs that were $8,020 higher. On stratification by use of anticoagulation, MM patients who were not using anticoagulation had worse health outcomes, including increased odds of inpatient all-cause mortality and length of hospital stay of more than five days (adjusted odds ratios, 1.40 and 1.44, respectively), as well as higher hospital costs ($14,772.50).

"While patients need to be educated on the need for medication adherence, there is a need to pay specific attention to medication reconciliation during admission and prior to hospital discharge as this may help improve the length of stay and overall costs of hospitalization," the authors write.

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