Atrial Fibrillation Prevalence Rates and Its Association with Cardiovascular-Kidney-Metabolic Factors: SIMETAP-AF...

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Epidemiology
• Public Health

Background:

• Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia and a leading cause of cardioembolic stroke.
• Understanding AF prevalence and its links to cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic (CKM) factors is crucial for public health.
• The SIMETAP project aims to provide updated prevalence data and association analyses.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of atrial fibrillation in an adult population.
• To investigate the association between atrial fibrillation and cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic (CKM) factors.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional observational study using a population-based random sample of 6588 adults (aged 18.0-102.8 years).
• Crude and age/sex-adjusted prevalence rates of AF were calculated.
• Bivariate and multivariate analyses were employed to assess associations between CKM factors and AF.

Main Results:

• Age- and sex-adjusted AF prevalence was 2.9% overall, 6.1% in those ≥50 years, and 12.9% in those ≥70 years.
• Independent CKM factors associated with AF included heart failure (HF), hypertension, chronic kidney disease (CKD), stroke, low HDL-cholesterol, and prediabetes.
• 92.4% of the AF population had high or very high vascular risk.

Conclusions:

• AF prevalence in adults aged 50 and older is 6.1%, double the overall adult rate and half the rate in those 70 and older.
• Heart failure, stroke, chronic kidney disease, hypertension, and low HDL-cholesterol are the primary independent CKM factors linked to AF.