The Effect of Anthropometric Measurements on the Incidence of Atrial Fibrillation in Patients With Acute Myocardial

Tulay Oskay1, Yasin Turker2, Alten Oskay3

  • 1Department of Cardiology, Bucak State Hospital, Burdur, TUR.

Cureus
|June 28, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Body mass index and waist circumference do not predict atrial fibrillation after myocardial infarction. Age, pulse rate, peak troponin T, and CICU stay are key predictors of AFib in acute MI patients.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Internal Medicine
  • Clinical Research

Background:

  • Atrial fibrillation (AFib) is a common arrhythmia post-myocardial infarction (MI).
  • Anthropometric factors like BMI and waist circumference are investigated for AFib risk.
  • Understanding AFib predictors is crucial for patient management after acute MI.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the impact of Body Mass Index (BMI) and waist circumference on new-onset AFib in acute myocardial infarction (MI) patients.
  • To identify independent predictors of AFib following acute MI.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective, cross-sectional, observational study in a coronary intensive care unit (CICU).
  • Included patients with ST-elevation MI (STEMI) or non-STEMI (NSTEMI).
  • Collected demographic, clinical, laboratory, and anthropometric data; continuous ECG monitoring for AFib detection; multiple regression analysis for predictor identification.

Main Results:

  • AFib occurred in 9.3% of the study cohort.
  • No significant differences in BMI or waist circumference were found between patients with and without AFib.
  • Independent predictors of AFib included older age, elevated pulse rate, higher peak troponin T levels, and longer CICU stay.

Conclusions:

  • BMI and waist circumference are not significant predictors of AFib in the acute phase of MI.
  • Age, pulse rate, peak troponin T, and CICU length of stay are significant independent predictors of AFib development post-MI.