J Korean Med Sci.  2015 Aug;30(8):1078-1084. 10.3346/jkms.2015.30.8.1078.

Prevalence of Atrial Fibrillation and Relation to Echocardiographic Parameters in a Healthy Asymptomatic Rural Korean Population

• Park HC
• Park JK
• Choi SI
• Kim SG
• Kim MK
• Choi BY
• Shin J

• KMID: 2164502
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2015.30.8.1078

Abstract

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia worldwide and a potent independent risk factor for stroke. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of AF in a population-based sample of adults in a rural region of Korea. Between January 2005 and December 2009, 4,067 individuals (60.2 +/- 11.2 yr old, M: F = 1,582:2,485) over 21 who were residents of the county of Yangpyeong, Korea, participated in the study. AF was assessed on a resting 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) in 4,053 of the participants. Blood tests and transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) were also performed to investigate the relationship between left ventricular mass and AF in the study group. Fifty-four cases (32 men) were diagnosed as AF among the 4,053 subjects. The crude prevalence of AF was 1.3%. It was highest (2.3%) among sixty- and seventy- year olds, and higher in men than women in all age groups over 50. The prevalence in men was 2.0%, and in women 0.9%. In univariate analysis, age, male gender, body mass index, total serum cholesterol, alanine transaminase, serum creatinine, adiponectin level, and ischemic heart disease were associated with AF. Among the TTE parameters, systolic and diastolic left ventricular systolic internal dimension (LVID), and LV ejection fraction were associated with AF. In this relatively healthy population in a rural area of Korea, the prevalence of AF is 1.3%, and increases with age. Of the TTE parameters, systolic and diastolic LVID and left atrial diameter are related to prevalence of AF.

Keyword

Atrial Fibrillation; Prevalence; Electrocardiography; Echocardiography; Community-based Cohort

MeSH Terms

Adult
Age Distribution
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Asymptomatic Diseases/*epidemiology
Atrial Fibrillation/*epidemiology/*ultrasonography
Causality
Comorbidity
Echocardiography/*statistics & numerical data
Female
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Prevalence
Reproducibility of Results
Republic of Korea/epidemiology
Risk Factors
Rural Population/*statistics & numerical data
Sensitivity and Specificity
Sex Distribution
Stroke/*epidemiology/ultrasonography
Stroke Volume

Figure

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  Fig. 1 The location of Yangpyeong-gun in northeast of Korea.

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  Fig. 2 The crude atrial fibrillation prevalence in men, women, and overall groups according to age respectively.

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