BACKGROUND: There is a growing recognition of sex-related disparities in atrial fibrillation (AF). However, limited data is available in Chinese AF patients.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: We compared symptoms, quality of life (QoL), and treatment of AF according to sex from the China AF Registry study.

RESULTS: We studied 14 723 patients with non-valvular AF, of whom 5645 patients (38.3%) were female. Women were older than men (67.5±10.6 vs. 62.2±12.2). Compared to men, women had more comorbidities and a higher proportion of CHA₂DS₂-VASC score ≥2. Women with AF experienced more severe or disabling symptoms than men (33.7% vs. 22.9% in age <75 group; 40.3% vs. 28.7% in age ≥75 group; both P<0.0001). After multivariate analysis, women with AF still had lower QoL (OR 0.69; 95%CI, 0.63–0.76; P<0.0001). Women tended to have lower rates of ablation and rhythm-control drug use in those aged <75 years. Oral anticoagulant use was low and had no sex difference in AF patients with a CHA₂DS₂-VASC score ≥2.

CONCLUSIONS: In Chinese AF patients, women were older and more symptomatic, and had worse QoL. Despite all these differences, women tended to receive less rhythm-control treatment in those aged <75 years. Oral anticoagulant was substantially underused in high stroke risk patients, regardless of sex.

Keywords: Atrial Fibrillation, Quality of Life, Sex Characteristics, Therapeutics, Aged, 80 and over, Anticoagulants, Comorbidity, Registries, Risk Assessment, Risk Factors, Sex Factors, Stroke