Background There are limited data on the association of diabetes mellitus (DM) and levels of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) with outcomes in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Methods This retrospective cohort study included patients who were recently hospitalized with a primary or secondary diagnosis of AF from December 2015 through June 2018. Kaplan–Meier curves and Cox-regression adjusted hazard ratios (aHR) were calculated for the primary outcome of all-cause mortality and for the secondary outcomes of cardiovascular (CV) mortality and the composite outcome of CV death or hospitalization. Competing-risk regression analyses were performed to calculate the cumulative risk of stroke, major bleeding, AF- or HF-hospitalizations adjusted for the competing risk of all-cause death. Spline curve models were fitted to investigate associations of HbA1c values and mortality among patients with AF and DM. Results In total 1109 AF patients were included, of whom 373 (33.6%) had DM. During a median follow-up of 2.6 years, 414 (37.3%) patients died. The presence of DM was associated with a higher risk of all-cause mortality (aHR = 1.40 95% confidence intervals [CI] 1.11–1.75), CV mortality (aHR = 1.39, 95% CI 1.07–1.81), sudden cardiac death (aHR = 1.73, 95% CI 1.19–2.52), stroke (aHR = 1.87, 95% CI 1.01–3.45) and the composite outcome of hospitalization or CV death (aHR = 1.27, 95% CI 1.06–1.53). In AF patients with comorbid DM, the spline curves showed a positive linear association between HbA1c levels and outcomes, with values 7.6–8.2% being independent predictors of increased all-cause mortality, and values < 6.2% predicting significantly decreased all-cause and CV mortality. Conclusions The presence of DM on top of AF was associated with substantially increased risk for all-cause or CV mortality, sudden cardiac death and excess morbidity. HbA1c levels lower than 6.2% were independently related to better survival rates suggesting that optimal DM control could be associated with better clinical outcomes in AF patients with DM.

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Aims We aimed to assess the impact of an educational, motivational intervention on the adherence to oral anticoagulation (OAC) in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF). Methods and results Hospitalized patients with non-valvular AF who received OAC were randomly assigned to usual medical care or a proactive intervention, comprising motivational interviewing, and tailored counselling on medication adherence. The primary study outcome was adherence to OAC at 1 year, which was evaluated according to proportion of days covered (PDC) by OAC regimens and was assessed through nationwide registers of prescription claims. Secondary outcomes included the rate of persistence to OAC, gaps in treatment, and clinical events. A total of 1009 patients were randomized, 500 in the intervention group and 509 in the control group. At 1-year follow-up, 77.2% (386/500) of patients in the intervention group were adherent (PDC &gt; 80%), compared with 55% (280/509) in the control group [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 2.84, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.14–3.75; P &lt; 0.001]. Mean PDC ± standard deviation was 0.85 ± 0.26 and 0.75 ± 0.31, respectively (P &lt; 0.001). Patients that received the intervention were more likely to persist in their OAC therapy at 1 year (aOR 2.42, 95% CI 1.71–3.41; P &lt; 0.001). Usual medical care was associated with more major (≥3 months) treatment gaps (aOR 2.39, 95% CI 1.76–3.26; P &lt; 0.001). Clinical events over a median follow-up period of 2 years did not differ among treatment groups. Conclusion In patients receiving OAC therapy for non-valvular AF, a multilevel motivational intervention significantly improved medication adherence and rate of therapy persistence, and reduced major gaps in treatment. No significant impact on clinical outcomes was observed. Trial registration number NCT02941978.