Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 15, 2026

Catheter Ablation in Combination With Left Atrial Appendage Closure for Atrial Fibrillation
Published on: February 26, 2013
The risk of atrial fibrillation in patients with gout: a nationwide population-based study
Yu-Jui Kuo1, Tzu-Hsien Tsai2, Hui-Ping Chang3
1Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tainan Municipal Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan.
Insights
Gout patients have a higher risk of developing atrial fibrillation (AF). This study found a 38% increased risk of AF in individuals with gout, highlighting a link between this inflammatory condition and heart rhythm disorders.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Rheumatology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Systemic inflammation is implicated in atrial fibrillation (AF) pathogenesis.
- Gout, a chronic inflammatory disorder, has an unclear association with AF risk.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between gout and the risk of developing atrial fibrillation.
- To evaluate if gout increases the likelihood of AF incidence in a large cohort.
Main Methods:
- Utilized Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database for a cohort study.
- Included 63,264 patients with gout and 63,264 matched controls.
- Employed Cox regression analysis to assess AF risk, adjusting for comorbidities and medications.
Main Results:
- Patients with gout had a higher cumulative incidence of AF (4.61% vs. 3.04%, P < 0.001).
- Gout was significantly associated with an increased risk of AF (Hazard Ratio [HR] = 1.38) after adjusting for confounders.
- The association between gout and AF risk decreased with increasing age.
Conclusions:
- Gout is independently associated with an increased risk of developing atrial fibrillation.
- This finding underscores the importance of considering systemic inflammation in gout patients for AF risk assessment.
- Further research may explore the underlying mechanisms linking gout and AF.
Abstract:
Many studies have found that systemic inflammation plays an important role in the pathogenesis of atrial fibrillation (AF). Gout is a chronic systemic inflammatory disorder, but little evidence exists regarding whether the risk of AF is increased in patients with gout. The National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan was used in this study, and gout was defined as the occurrence of at least one episode of an acute gout attack requiring medical treatment. A total of 63264 gout and 63264 age- and gender-matched patients were included as the study population. The Cox model was used to evaluate the risk of AF in patients with gout. Patients with gout experienced a greater frequency of co-morbidities compared to patients without gout. The cumulative incidences of AF were 4.61% and 3.04% in patients with and without gout, respectively (log-rank test, P < 0.001). After adjusting for co-morbidities and prescription medication use, gout was found to be associated with AF [hazard ratio (HR), 1.38]. Moreover, the HR for AF decreased with increasing age in our study. Gout was found to be associated with an increased risk of developing AF after adjusting for potential confounders.
Related Concept Videos
Antiarrhythmic Drugs: Class I Agents as Sodium Channel Blockers
Class 1A Antiarrhythmic Drugs: These drugs work by moderately blocking sodium channels,...
ECG Interpretation of Arrhythmias II: Atrial, Junctional and Ventricular Arrhythmias
Rheumatic Heart Disease I: Introduction
Aortic Regurgitation III: Medical Management
Antiplatelet Drugs: Prostaglandin Synthesis, P2Y12 and Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa Inhibitors
Prostaglandin synthesis inhibitors, exemplified by the widely known aspirin, wield their power by irreversibly acetylating...
Anticoagulant Drugs: Low-Molecular-Weight Heparins

