New-onset AF linked to faster kidney function decline
11 hours ago
New-onset atrial fibrillation may contribute to a rapid decline in kidney function in working-age adults, as suggested in a retrospective study.
Researchers used annual health screening records (serial electrocardiogram and estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR]) and insurance claims data in Japan. They looked at adults aged 35–59 years (working-age population) who attended at least one annual health screening.
The analysis included 23,510 individuals with new-onset AF and 117,550 matched controls who did not develop AF during the exposure period. Matching was performed based on propensity scores. The mean age of the population was 49.8 years, and 81.8 percent were male. The median follow-up was 4.73 years.
The annual rate of eGFR decline was the primary outcome, while a ≥30-percent decline in eGFR from baseline was the secondary outcome.
Compared with controls, participants with new-onset AF had a significantly greater annual rate of eGFR decline (−1.23 vs −0.94 mL/min/1.73 m2), with a difference of −0.29 mL/min/1.73 m2 (95 percent confidence interval [CI], −0.32 to −0.26; p<0.001).
Participants with new-onset AF also had a nearly threefold greater risk of a ≥30-percent eGFR decline relative to controls (hazard ratio, 2.91, 95 percent CI, 2.72–3.11; p<0.001).
More studies are needed to establish the impact of AF burden on kidney decline and to determine the effectiveness of AF treatments for improving kidney outcomes.