Individuals with trajectories denoting long-term exposure to cardiovascular risk factors had increased atrial fibrillation risk, with risk factors elevated >15 years before diagnosis.
Cohort (n=10,559)
Do long-term trajectories of cardiovascular risk factors increase the incidence of atrial fibrillation in AF-free individuals?
Long-term exposure to cardiovascular risk factors, which are elevated up to 15 years prior to diagnosis, significantly increases the risk of incident atrial fibrillation.
BACKGROUND: Timing and trajectories of cardiovascular risk factor (CVRF) development in relation to atrial fibrillation (AF) have not been described previously. We assessed trajectories of CVRF and incidence of AF over 25 years in the ARIC study (Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities). METHODS: We assessed trajectories of CVRF in 2456 individuals with incident AF and 6414 matched control subjects. Subsequently, we determined the association of CVRF trajectories with the incidence of AF among 10 559 AF-free individuals (mean age, 67 years; 52% men; 20% blacks). Risk factors were measured during 5 examinations between 1987 and 2013. Cardiovascular events, including incident AF, were ascertained continuously. We modeled the prevalence of risk factors and cardiovascular outcomes in the period before and after AF diagnosis and the corresponding index date for control subjects using generalized estimating equations. Trajectories in risk factors were identified with latent mixture modeling. The risk of incident AF by trajectory group was examined with Cox models. RESULTS: The prevalence of stroke, myocardial infarction, and heart failure increased steeply during the time close to AF diagnosis. All CVRFs were elevated in AF cases compared with controls >15 years before diagnosis. We identified distinct trajectories for all the assessed CVRFs. In general, individuals with trajectories denoting long-term exposure to CVRFs had increased AF risk even after adjustment for single measurements of the CVRFs. CONCLUSIONS: AF patients have increased prevalence of CVRF many years before disease diagnosis. This analysis identified diverse trajectories in the prevalence of these risk factors, highlighting their different roles in AF pathogenesis.
Norby et al. (Mon,) conducted a cohort in Atrial fibrillation (n=10,559). Cardiovascular risk factor (CVRF) trajectories vs. Matched controls / differing trajectories was evaluated on Incidence of atrial fibrillation. Individuals with trajectories denoting long-term exposure to cardiovascular risk factors had increased atrial fibrillation risk, with risk factors elevated >15 years before diagnosis.