ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the clinical characteristics and risk factors of peripheral arterial thromboembolism (PAT) in patients with non valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 18 456 patients admitted in our hospital and diagnosed with NVAF were included in this study. The study population was divided into three groups [PAT group, cerebral thromboembolism (CT) group and no thromboembolism group]. Risk factors of PAT were assessed by multivariate logistic regression.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The incidence of PAT and CT was 1.1% (204 cases) and 27.8% (5 132 cases), respectively. The in-hospital mortality of PAT group was 11.8% (24/204), in which the in-hospital mortality due to mesenteric arterial thromboembolism (37.5%, 6/16) was the highest. Multivariate logistic regression indicated that vascular disease (OR = 3.9, 95% CI 2.13-7.08, P < 0.01), age ≥ 65 years (OR = 2.7, 95% CI 1.66-4.27, P < 0.01), hypertension (OR = 2.1, 95% CI 1.36-3.34, P < 0.01), history of stroke/TIA/arterial thromboembolism (OR = 2.0, 95% CI 1.26-3.17, P < 0.01) and congestive heart failure (OR = 1.9, 95% CI 1.22-2.86, P < 0.01) were independent risk factors of PAT. Prevalence of vascular disease and histories of PAT was higher in PAT group than in CT group (P < 0.01), while CHADS2 and CHA2DS2VASc scores were similar between the PAT and CT groups.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>PAT is not uncommon in NVAF patients, risk factors for PAT in NVAF patients are vascular disease, advanced age, hypertension, history of stroke/TIA/arterial thromboembolism and congestive heart failure.</p>