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Updated: Jun 16, 2026
08:10
Estimating Bilateral Atrial Function by Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Feature Tracking in Patients with Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation
Published on: July 20, 2022
Bidirectional relationships between increased arterial stiffness and atrial fibrillation
Yanan Zhao1, Zixin Zhang2,3, Qi Qi2,3
1Catheterization Unit, Tangshan Gongren Hospital, Tangshan, China.
Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine
|June 15, 2026
Summary
Increased arterial stiffness (iAS) and atrial fibrillation (AF) have a two-way relationship. Preventing iAS lowers AF risk, and preventing AF reduces iAS risk, highlighting the importance of managing both conditions.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Epidemiology
- Clinical Research
Background:
- Arterial stiffness is a known cardiovascular risk factor.
- Atrial fibrillation is a common arrhythmia with significant morbidity.
- The relationship between arterial stiffness and atrial fibrillation requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the bidirectional relationship between increased arterial stiffness (iAS) and atrial fibrillation (AF).
- To determine if iAS predicts new-onset AF.
- To assess if AF predicts incident iAS.
Main Methods:
- Two propensity-matched cohort sub-studies were conducted.
- Sub-study 1: Impact of baseline iAS on new-onset AF (9,072 iAS vs. 18,144 non-iAS).
- Sub-study 2: Impact of AF on incident iAS (193 AF vs. 579 non-AF).
- Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox proportional hazards models were used.
Main Results:
- Increased arterial stiffness significantly increased the risk of new-onset atrial fibrillation (HR: 6.502, P < 0.001).
- Atrial fibrillation independently associated with an increased risk of developing increased arterial stiffness (HR: 2.261, P < 0.001).
- Cumulative incidence of AF was higher in the iAS group (3.93% vs. 2.00%), and iAS incidence was higher in the AF group (69.31% vs. 47.96%).
Conclusions:
- A significant bidirectional relationship exists between increased arterial stiffness and atrial fibrillation.
- Preventing increased arterial stiffness is crucial for reducing the risk of atrial fibrillation.
- Preventing atrial fibrillation is vital for decreasing the risk of developing increased arterial stiffness.
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