Work

Association between systemic inflammation and risk of atrial fibrillation in cancer survivors: a population-based cohort study using UK biobank

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Cancer survivors (CSs) are at increased risk of atrial fibrillation (AF), potentially due to cancer-related inflammation and treatment effects. While inflammation has been implicated in both cancer and AF, the association between C-reactive protein (CRP) and AF risk in CSs remains unclear. METHODS: We analyzed data from 19,677 UK Biobank participants (mean age 60; 34.2% male) with a prior cancer diagnosis. Incident AF was evaluated using competing-risk Cox proportional hazards models, adjusting for sociodemographic, lifestyle, and clinical factors. RESULTS: Over a median follow-up of 10.4 years, 836 CSs (4.2%) developed AF. Competing risk analysis revealed that the significant association between elevated CRP (> 2 mg/L) and AF risk in CSs, observed in models adjusted for sociodemographic and clinical factors (HR 1.21, 95% CI 1.06-1.37; P = 0.005), progressively attenuated with further adjustment for lifestyle factors (HR 1.14, 95% CI 0.99-1.31; P = 0.076). Despite losing statistical significance in the fully adjusted model, a consistent, suggestive trend was observed. This association was particularly pronounced in individuals not receiving radiotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that systemic inflammation is associated with an increased risk of AF among CSs, particularly in individuals without a history of radiotherapy. Further studies are needed to explore underlying mechanisms and therapeutic implications.

Source: Cardio-Oncology

DOI: 10.1186/s40959-025-00414-6