Abstract 12385: Past Alcohol Consumption and Incident Atrial Fibrillation

Abstract

Introduction: Although current alcohol consumption appears to be a risk factor for incident atrial fibrillation (AF), limitations related to self-reported alcohol use and confounding in observational studies limit the certainty of conclusions regarding causality. Whether cessation of alcohol consumption can protect against incident AF remains unknown. Methods: We examined all participants in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study, a population-based cohort of 15,792 men and women aged 45-65, without prevalent AF. Past alcohol consumption was assessed via self-report during the baseline dietary intake assessment. Cases of incident AF were ascertained via study ECGs, hospital discharge ICD-9 codes, and death certificates. Results: Among 15,262 participants with complete survey data, 2,898 (19.0%) were former drinkers. During an average follow-up of 17.4 years, there were 380 cases of incident AF in former consumers. Both before and after adjustment for potential confounders, a longer duration of alcohol abstinence was associated with a lower risk of developing AF; previously consuming alcohol for a longer duration and consuming a greater quantity of alcohol were each associated with a higher risk of developing AF (Table). Conclusions: Among former drinkers, the number of years of drinking and the amount of alcohol consumed may each confer an increased risk of AF. Given that a longer duration of abstinence was associated with a decreased risk of AF, modification of alcohol use could potentially play a role in AF prevention.