Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40703137›Full record

ArticleEuropean heart journal. Digital health2025

Clustering of electronic health records in atrial fibrillation patients and impact on prognosis and patient trajectories: a UK linked-dataset study.

Zengqi Zhang, Hiroyuki Yoshimura, Dionisio Acosta-Mena, Carina Teixeira, Chris Finan, Gregory Y H Lip, A Floriaan Schmidt, Rui Providencia

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in European heart journal. Digital health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–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. Review
  2. Clinical subtypes and prognosis of new-onset atrial fibrillation in critically ill patients.International journal of cardiology. Cardiovascular risk and prevention · 2026
    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

8 authors.

Zengqi ZhangInstitute of Health Informatics Research, University College London, 222 Euston Road, London NW1 2DA, UK.
Hiroyuki YoshimuraInstitute of Health Informatics Research, University College London, 222 Euston Road, London NW1 2DA, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0009-1991-5001
Dionisio Acosta-MenaCegedim Rx Ltd, Second Floor, Building 2, Buckshaw Station Approach, Buckshaw Village, Chorley PR7 7NR, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2817-0178
Carina TeixeiraInstitute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Kings College London, London, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4102-9497
Chris FinanInstitute of Cardiovascular Science, University College London, London, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3319-1937
Gregory Y H LipLiverpool Centre for Cardiovascular Science at University of Liverpool, Liverpool John Moores University and Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital, Liverpool, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7566-1626
A Floriaan SchmidtInstitute of Cardiovascular Science, University College London, London, UK.
Rui ProvidenciaInstitute of Health Informatics Research, University College London, 222 Euston Road, London NW1 2DA, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9141-9883

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Aims: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is characterized by heterogeneity in presentation, comorbidity profile and prognosis, with different AF subphenotypes having been previously suggested. Mental health disorders are common in the AF population. The current classification of AF, based on episode duration, fails to capture the complexity of the condition. Machine learning (ML) techniques and utilization of information on mental health disorders might improve identification of different and actionable AF subphenotypes. Methods and results: We utilized Nationwide UK data from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (199 308 AF patients; age 75.4 ± 12.6; 49.2% women) and unsupervised ML for clustering (k-means). Twenty-five clinical features were used in the model, including the presence of mental health disorders (anxiety, depression, and psychosis). Outcomes were assessed at 5 years across different clusters. We identified five different clusters of AF patients with specific characteristics and behaviour. Clusters were labelled based on the most prevalent features: (i) elderly and cardiopaths; (ii) young age and mental health disease; (iii) elderly and hypertensive; (iv) middle age and depression; and (v) very elderly. Mental health disorders were present in 18% at baseline. When comparing across the different clusters, significant differences were observed for the rates of the different assessed outcomes: higher mortality, heart failure and dementia in cluster (v), cancer and anxiety or depression in cluster (iii). Conclusion: Using unsupervised clustering we identified five distinct clinically actionable AF subphenotypes. The differences in outcomes and event rates at 5 years, suggests the possibility of specific tailored therapy and interventions requiring further investigation. Management of mental health should be part of holistic or integrated care management in this population.

Indexed as

AnxietyAtrial fibrillationDepressionElectronic health recordsUnsupervised Machine Learning

Identifiers

PMID40703137
PMCPMC12282383

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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.