Abstract
BackgroundThe association between anxiety and atrial fibrillation (AF) remains unclear. Moreover, this association has rarely been studied in Chinese individuals aged 60 years or older. This study investigated the association between anxiety and AF in a community-based case-control study of older adult residents in urban China.MethodsThe cases and controls were from a community-based study conducted in the Jingansi community in Shanghai, China, between January 2010 and December 2012. A total of 3622 residents aged 60 years or older without severe vision, hearing, or speaking impairments were eligible to participate in the physical examinations and questionnaire survey. AF was assessed based on a previous physician’s diagnosis, electrocardiogram, ambulatory electrocardiogram, or echocardiogram. Anxiety was evaluated using the Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (ZSAS). Using the AF group as a reference, the control group consisted of randomly selected age- and sex-matched individuals in a 1:5 ratio (case:control = 1:5). The association between anxiety and AF in the AF group and the multifactor-matched control group was explored using logistic regression.ResultsIn the AF and control groups, after adjusting for a history of coronary heart disease, valvular heart disease, hypertension, stroke, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes, as well as depression score, ZSAS scores (odds ratio 1.07; 95% confidence interval 1.02–1.12; p = 0.003), and anxiety symptoms (odds ratio 3.94; 95% confidence interval 1.06–14.70; p = 0.041) were associated with AF.ConclusionsAnxiety symptoms were associated with AF in a Chinese older population. This suggests that older adults who have anxiety symptoms may need psychological intervention or treatment in daily life and care.
Highlights
The association between anxiety and atrial fibrillation (AF) remains unclear
This study demonstrated that anxiety was positively associated with AF after adjusting for a history of coronary heart disease (CHD), valvular heart disease, hypertension, stroke, hyperlipidemia, Table 2 Association between AF and multiple factors, including Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (ZSAS) score, in logistic regression models in cases and controls
Model 2, multivariate logistic regression adjusted for CHD, VHD, hypertension, stroke, hyperlipidemia, diabetes and Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D)
Summary
The association between anxiety and atrial fibrillation (AF) remains unclear. This association has rarely been studied in Chinese individuals aged 60 years or older. This study investigated the association between anxiety and AF in a community-based case-control study of older adult residents in urban China. Increased morbidity and mortality rates are found among patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), the most common type of arrhythmia [1,2,3]. The estimated prevalence of AF in China, Australia, the United States, and Europe has been shown to increase from 1 to 4% in adults to more than 8.8% in older adults over 80 years of age [3, 4]. Among older adults aged 60 years or older in California, USA, the prevalence of AF. Previous epidemiological studies have reported risk factors for AF such as aging, obesity, hypertension, diabetes, tobacco smoking, and alcohol consumption [5, 7]
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