- To compare the incidence of the single components of the combined end-point, of myocardial or peripheral revascularizations, new onset of atrial fibrillation in one of its three forms (paroxysmal, persistent and permanent) or recurrence of the arrhythmia in patients who experienced paroxysmal or persistent atrial fibrillation previously, hospitalizations for chronic heart failure and thrombosis of the artero-venous fistula.