Bassand JP, et al. - In 52,014 atrial fibrillation patients prospectively enrolled in the GARFIELD-AF registry (Global Anticoagulant Registry in the FIELD–Atrial Fibrillation) between March 2010 and August 2016, researchers evaluated the risk of early events (death, stroke/systemic embolism, and major bleeding) over 12 months and their relation to the time after diagnosis of atrial fibrillation. They reported death of 2140 patients, a stroke/systemic embolism in 657 patients and a major bleeding event in 411 patients over 12 months duration. Independent predictors of a higher risk of early death included age, heart failure, prior stroke, history of cirrhosis, vascular disease, moderate-to-severe kidney disease, diabetes mellitus, and living in North or Latin America. Independent predictors of a lower risk of early death were anticoagulation and living in Europe or Asia. A C-statistic of 0.81 (95% CI, 0.78–0.83) was reported for a predictive model developed for the 1-month risk of death. Findings revealed an increased hazard of early events, in particular, cardiovascular mortality, in this patient population.