Does the etiology of the AFib affect the stroke risk?  In the Stroke Prevention in Atrial Fibrillation (SPAF) trials,[19] the stroke risk was equivalent whether the patient had intermittent (i.e., paroxysmal) AFib or sustained (i.e., either permanent or persistent) AFib. This means that when patients are stratified according to stroke risk, AFib is a risk factor that is not significantly altered by whether the underlying AFib is intermittent (paroxysmal) or sustained (persistent or permanent).

Reiffel JA. Am J Med 2013; 126: 00-00.