Table 4

Incremental risk factor for AF diagnosis: cardiotoxic versus non-cardiotoxic cancer therapeutics

FactorCoefficient±SEP value
Early phase/within 3 years after cancer diagnosis
 Cardiotoxic cancer therapeutics0.10±0.2200.66
 Time of first cardiotoxic cancer therapeutic0.94±0.039<0.001*
 Non-cardiotoxic cancer therapeutics0.14±0.2200.51
 Time of first non-cardiotoxic cancer therapeutic0.03±0.0510.59
Late phase/(at least) 3 years after cancer diagnosis
 Cardiotoxic cancer therapeutics−0.21±0.2500.40
 Time of first cardiotoxic cancer therapeutic−0.06±0.0690.36
 Non-cardiotoxic cancer therapeutics0.44±0.3400.19
 Time of first non-cardiotoxic cancer therapeutic0.06±0.0490.27

  • Time-varying covariate of AF diagnosis and time of AF diagnosis was forced into the model and adjusted for cardiotoxic versus non-cardiotoxic cancer therapeutics. Because cancer therapeutics timing varies from time zero (date of cancer diagnosis), we analysed cardiotoxic versus non-cardiotoxic cancer therapeutics as a time-varying covariate using parametric hazard function modelling. Cardiotoxic cancer therapeutics included anthracyclines, HER2-neu inhibitors, tyrosine kinase inhibitors, targeted chemotherapy and radiation. Non-cardiotoxic chemotherapy included all other chemotherapy such as alkylating agents, antimetabolites and antimicrotubule inhibitors.

  • *p<0.05.

  • AF, atrial fibrillation.