Association of warfarin use with CHADS(2) score in 441 patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation and no contraindications to warfarin.

Overview

The authors investigated the use of warfarin at hospital discharge in 557 consecutive patients, mean age 76 years, with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (AF) at a university hospital. Of 557 patients with AF, 116 (21%) had contraindications to warfarin. Of patients eligible for warfarin, warfarin was used in 8 of 30 patients (27%) with a CHADS(2) score of 0, in 82 of 132 patients (62%) with a CHADS(2) score of 1, in 121 of 175 patients (70%) with a CHADS(2) score of 2, in 72 of 77 patients (94%) with a CHADS(2) score of 3, and in 27 of 27 patients (100%) with a CHADS(2) score of 4 to 6. Warfarin was used in 123 of 168 patients (73%) older than 75 years, in 74 of 79 patients (94%) aged 65 to 75 years, and in 23 of 32 patients (72%) younger than 65 years. Warfarin was used in 80 of 116 patients (69%) with a glomerular filtration rate < 60 mL/min/1.73 m(2) and in 140 of 163 patients (86%) with a glomerular filtration rate ≥ 60 mL/min/1.73 m(2) . There was no significant difference in use of warfarin between men and women and between whites and nonwhites.