Korean Circ J.  2008 Nov;38(11):601-605. 10.4070/kcj.2008.38.11.601.

Prevalence of Atrial Fibrillation in Middle-Aged People in Korea: The Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study

• Lee KS
• Choi SJ
• Park SH
• Kim HL
• Min H
• Park HY

• KMID: 2225708
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4070/kcj.2008.38.11.601

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
The prevalence of atrial fibrillation (AF), the most common sustained arrhythmia, is expected to rise with the aging population, but very few studies have reported on the prevalence and risk factors of AF in Korea. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We analyzed 10,012 Korean adults (4,750 men and 5,262 women), 40-69 years old, who were enrolled in the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study. AF was diagnosed by single electrocardiogram recording in a baseline survey (2001-2003). RESULTS: The estimated prevalence of AF was 0.4% {95% confidence interval (CI), 0.28-0.52} in adults 40-69 years old, and increased to 1.0% in individuals 60-69 years old. The prevalence rate for men (0.6%) was higher than for women (0.2%) across all age groups. In multiple logistic regression analysis, AF was significantly associated with old age {odds ratio (OR), 8.15; 95% CI, 3.06-21.71}, male gender (OR, 4.04; 95% CI, 1.90-8.61), diabetes mellitus (OR, 2.15; 95% CI, 1.05-4.44), and congestive heart failure (OR, 14.11; 95% CI, 2.56-77.70). Obesity, however, did not show an association with AF. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of AF in Korean adults aged 40-69 years is approximately 0.4%, lower than that in Western populations. Age, male gender, diabetes, and heart failure are associated with AF. Further research in a larger population is necessary to verify for our results.

Keyword

Atrial fibrillation; Prevalence; Korea

MeSH Terms

Adult
Aged
Aging
Arrhythmias, Cardiac
Atrial Fibrillation
Surveys and Questionnaires
Diabetes Mellitus
Electrocardiography
Female
Genome
Heart Failure
Humans
Korea
Logistic Models
Male
Obesity
Prevalence
Risk Factors

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