Diabetes Increases Atrial Fibrillation Risk

Pooled data involving well over a million subjects confirms that diabetes increases the risk of atrial fibrillation (AF), researchers say. “In this study which brought together all of the available evidence, we found that individuals with diabetes had between 30% to 40% greater risk of AF compared with non-diabetics and that overall, diabetes is likely to explain approximately 57,000 cases of the 2.3 million AF cases in the US each year.” Dr. Rachel R. Huxley and colleagues at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis analyzed data from seven prospective cohort studies and four case-control studies involving more than 1.6 million people. During follow-up ranging from three to 44 years, more than 108,000 patients experienced AF. The summary estimate indicated that patients with diabetes had an approximately 40% greater risk of AF compared to unaffected patients (relative risk, 1.39). Abnormalities in glucose and insulin homeostasis could be involved in this increased risk as could long-term inflammation, but the investigators conclude that “the mechanisms that may underpin the relation between diabetes mellitus and AF remain speculative.” Am J Cardiol 2011