Medical and Sociological Characterization of the Population of Patients Admitted for a First Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation in the Occitanie Ouest Region

Atrial fibrillation is the most common arrhythmia with a prevalence of 1 to 4% and constitutes a major health problem both on an individual level (impaired quality of life, heart failure, stroke, hospitalization, excess mortality) and collective level (cost, use of resources).

Non-medical determinants influence health, particularly its cardiovascular component, but have been little studied in the context of Atrial fibrillation. The rare studies addressing the subject suggest that they impact the incidence of the disease and the occurrence of its complications. Certain social and sociological characteristics are also associated with less access to the various recognized therapies, whether medicinal or invasive. This is the case for Atrial fibrillation ablation, which has nevertheless demonstrated its usefulness in reducing the Atrial fibrillation burden, in reducing symptoms and hospitalizations and for certain populations (heart failure) a decrease in mortality.

Essien et al in a literature review report that non-Caucasian and low-income people have less access to Atrial fibrillation ablation. Non-Caucasian populations are also under-represented in interventional clinical studies on Atrial fibrillation. If the level of education (health literacy), geographic origin (rural vs. urban) and the level of isolation affect the occurrence of Atrial fibrillation and its natural history, including complications, the authors do not mention any specific study that has evaluated their role in access to ablation.

A Norwegian national analysis (Olsen) based on data from the health system, therefore exhaustive, evaluated the characteristics of patients suffering from Atrial fibrillation and having benefited from ablation compared to the characteristics of patients treated medically. Patients with the highest levels of education and income are the most likely to be treated by ablation. Women, especially at younger ages, have less access to ablation. The authors also found significant differences between the different territorial subdivisions of the country.