Clinical determinants of early spontaneous conversion to sinus rhythm in patients with atrial fibrillation

Background The current standard of care for acute atrial fibrillation (AF) focuses primarily on immediate restoration of sinus rhythm by cardioversion, although AF often terminates spontaneously. Objective To identify determinants of early spontaneous conversion (SCV) in patients presenting at the emergency department (ED) because of AF. Methods An observational study was performed of patients who visited the ED with documented AF between July 2014 and December 2016. The clinical characteristics and demographics of patients with and without SCV were compared. Results We enrolled 943 patients (age 69 ± 12 years, 47% female). SCV occurred within 3 h of presentation in 158 patients (16.8%). Logistic regression analysis showed that duration of AF