Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39862317›Full record

SynthesisAnnals of medicine2025

Clinical outcomes of atrial fibrillation screening: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Ville Langén, Aleksi K Winstén, K E Juhani Airaksinen, Konsta Teppo

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Annals of medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Ville LangénDivision of Medicine, Turku University Hospital and University of Turku, Turku, Finland.ORCID 0000-0002-2382-7962
Aleksi K WinsténFaculty of Medicine, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.ORCID 0009-0009-4152-4795
K E Juhani AiraksinenTurku University Hospital and University of Turku, Turku, Finland.ORCID 0000-0002-0193-568X
Konsta TeppoHeart Centre, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland.ORCID 0000-0002-4460-0994

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSeveral randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have investigated the benefits of atrial fibrillation (AF) screening. However, since none have shown a significant reduction in stroke rates, the impact of screening on clinical outcomes remains uncertain. MATERIALS AND

methodsWe conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs reporting clinical outcomes of systematic AF screening in participants without known AF. Pooled risk ratios (RRs) were computed for all-cause stroke or systemic embolism, major bleeding, and all-cause mortality, comparing screening with no screening.

resultsSeven RCTs encompassing 76 458 participants were identified. One trial utilized implantable loop recorders for rhythm monitoring, while the others employed non-invasive screening methods. Pooled results indicated that AF screening was associated with a significant reduction in all-cause stroke or systemic embolism (RR 0.932, 95% CI 0.873-0.996, I

conclusionsSystematic AF screening is associated with a modest yet statistically significant 7% relative reduction in stroke and systemic embolism, with no observed impact on major bleeding or all-cause mortality.

Indexed as

Atrial FibrillationEmbolismMass ScreeningStrokeAgedHemorrhageHumansRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicAtrial fibrillationbleedingmortalityoutcomesscreeningstroke

Identifiers

PMID39862317
PMCPMC12161479

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.