Brachial Flow-Mediated Dilation and Risk of Atrial Fibrillation in Older Adults: The Cardiovascular Health Study
Year: 2021
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Endothelial dysfunction is associated with common risk factors for AF and has been implicated in the pathophysiology of atrial fibrillation (AF) through a variety of mechanisms. We determined the prospective association of brachial flow-mediated dilation (FMD) with incident AF among older adults. METHODS: We included 2027 Cardiovascular Health Study participants (mean age=78.3 years, male=39%, Black=17%) who underwent brachial FMD measurement at the 1997 to 1998 clinic visit. Incident AF was ascertained by study electrocardiograms, hospital discharge diagnosis coding and Medicare claims data. Cox regression models were used to examine the association between FMD and incident AF. RESULTS: We identified 754 incident of AF cases (37%) over a median follow-up of 11.0 years. After adjusting for age, sex, race, height, weight, cardiovascular disease, cigarette smoking, hypertension, diabetes, kidney function, c-reactive protein, physical activity, alcohol consumption, and statins, the risk of AF did not differ according to brachial FMD response (4th vs 1st quartile hazard ratio (HR)=1.01, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.81, 1.26; per FMD unit increment HR=1.01, 95% CI: 0.97, 1.05). CONCLUSION: We found no relationship between brachial FMD and the risk of developing AF in this elderly cohort. Our findings suggest that the utility of brachial FMD as a risk marker for AF in older individuals is minimal.
DOI: 10.2147/vhrm.s297720
Institutions: University of Southern California, University of Washington, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Wake Forest University, University of Maryland, Baltimore, San Francisco VA Medical Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco VA Health Care System, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Language: English
Subfield: Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,320
Awards: G1220223050, CORONARY HEART DISEASE AND STROKE, CORONARY HEART DISEASE &STROKE IN PEOPLE AGED 65-84, CORONARY HEART DISEASE AND STROKE, G2194386449, CORONARY HEART DISEASE &STROKE IN PEOPLE AGED 65-84, G2391884931, G247538147, CORONARY HEART DISEASE &STROKE IN THE ELDERLY, G3045517347, G3220743633, G3256118428, CHS research resources for the cardiovascular health of older adults, CENTRAL BLOOD ANALYSIS LABORATORY FOR CHS, G5479317095, G581887176, CHS Events Follow-up Study, G6226795708, CHS-Transition Phase, G7176672723
OpenAlex ID: W3134974699