Cost-effectiveness of AF screening

The cost-effectiveness of population screening for AF in Sweden has been investigated in a new study. Using simulated population screening results the study shows that an AF screening strategy is cost-effective in 99.2% and cost-saving in 92.7% of the simulations.

In the base-case scenario, screening of 1000 individuals resulted in 10.6 fewer strokes, 1.0 more cases of systemic embolism, and 2.9 fewer bleedings associated with hospitalization.

All ECG analysis in the study was performed using the Zenicor ECG system that integrates the Cardiolund ECG Parser for automated ECG beat classification and rhythm analysis.

The study is reported in the publication: Cost-effectiveness of population screening for atrial fibrillation: the STROKESTOP study, by Lyth J, Svennberg E, Bernfort L, Aronsson M, Frykman V, Al-Khalili F, Friberg L, Rosenqvist M, Engdahl J, Levin LÅ. Eur Heart J. 2023 Jan 14;44(3):196-204. PMID: 36349968; PMCID: PMC9839418. DOI: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehac547