Fall in the hemoglobin level
The reduction in the hemoglobin level (-0.39±0.71 vs. -0.93±0.9 g/dL; P <0.001) and its % reduction (-3.3±6.1 vs. -6.3±6.1 %; P <0.001) were smaller in the patients with preexisting anemia than in those without (Figure 1). A fall in the hemoglobin level of ≥2 g/dL was less common in anemic patients (Figure 2). A female gender, persistent or longstanding persistent versus paroxysmal AF, and ORBIT score ≥3 were found to be independently and positively associated with, and preexisting anemia was negatively associated with, the fall in the hemoglobin level of ≥2 g/dL (Table 4).