Assessing Risk for Stroke in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation

Although the CHA₂DS₂-VASc score (heart failure, hypertension, age ≥75, diabetes, stroke or TIA, vascular disease, gender) is the most widely used method for assessing stroke risk in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), its predictive value is modest. The neutrophil lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is another predictor of adverse events in patients with various cardiovascular diseases.

To examine the value of the NLR in predicting stroke risk, investigators used the electronic medical registry of a large healthcare provider to analyze clinical data, including complete blood counts, on 32,912 AF patients without prior stroke, transient ischemic attack, or anticoagulant use.

During a 1-year period, 981 patients had a stroke (incidence rate, 3.17/100 pe…