Abstract 15011: Association of Pulmonary Hemodynamics and Right Ventricular Function With Incident Atrial Fibrillation: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study

Abstract

Introduction: Higher pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) and right ventricular (RV) dysfunction are associated with higher risk of heart failure (HF) and mortality. Whether higher PASP and lower RV function are associated with risk of atrial fibrillation (AF) is unclear. Hypothesis: Higher PASP, higher pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR), and lower RV function are associated with incident AF after accounting for left atrial (LA) size and function, and left ventricular (LV) systolic and diastolic function. Methods: ARIC participants free of prevalent coronary heart disease (CHD), HF, AF, and with LA volume index (LAVi) <34ml/m 2 and average E/e’ ratio <14 in 2011-13 were included. We measured PASP, PVR, RV fractional area change (RVFAC), and RV-PA coupling (defined as RVFAC/PASP ratio) from 2D-echocardiograms. Incident AF (through 2018) was ascertained from hospital discharge codes and death certificates. We used Cox proportional hazards regression in our analysis. Results: We included 1915 participants (mean age 75 years, 69% female, 24% black) of whom 176 developed AF over a median follow-up of 6.3 years. PASP, PVR, and RV-PA coupling were significantly associated with incident AF after adjusting for measures of LA and LV structural and functional remodeling. RVFAC was not significantly associated with incident AF. Conclusions: In persons without CHD, HF, and LA enlargement, higher PASP and lower RV-PA coupling are associated with higher risk of AF after accounting for LA and LV structural and functional remodeling. This finding, which suggests a possible etiological role of RV remodeling for AF, needs further confirmation.