Atrial fibrillation is associated with lean body mass in postmenopausal women

Marie S Worm,Cecilie L Bager,Joseph P M Blair,Niels H Secher,Claus Christiansen,Bente J Riis,Henning B Nielsen

doi:10.1038/s41598-019-57167-3

Marie S Worm, Cecilie L Bager + Show 5 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-57167-3

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Abstract

This study investigated the association between body composition and risk of atrial fibrillation (AF) in postmenopausal women. In a retrospective analysis we assessed data from 5704 postmenopausal women (age 70.7 ± 6.5 yrs.) who in 1999–2001 participated in The Prospective Epidemiological Risk Factor study with body composition assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Outcomes were obtained from Danish Health Registries and body composition association to risk of AF was evaluated by univariable and multivariable Cox Hazard regression. 850 women developed AF after baseline. High lean body mass was associated with increased risk of AF in multivariable analyses, adjusting for body mass index (BMI), height or weight (adjusted for: BMI, hazard ratio (HR) 1.49, 95% Confidence Interval (1.22–1.80); height, HR 1.27 (1.03–1.56); weight, 1.33 (1.06–1.65)). Height and weight were associated with increased risk of AF in multivariable analyses adjusting for body composition measures. When adjusting for total lean mass, only height remained statistically significant (HR 1.34 (1.09–1.64)). In a cohort of elderly Caucasian women, high lean body mass, height and weight were associated with increased risk of AF and the variables remained significant after adjusting for age and other known risk factors of AF.

Highlights

This study investigated the association between body composition and risk of atrial fibrillation (AF) in postmenopausal women
We aimed to investigate whether different body composition measures and anthropometric measures (BMI, height and weight) are associated to risk of AF in elderly women
Women with AF were significantly taller, weighed more, had a larger total fat mass, larger lean body mass, and larger lean body mass index (LBMi) compared to the women without AF

Summary

Introduction

This study investigated the association between body composition and risk of atrial fibrillation (AF) in postmenopausal women. Height and weight were associated with increased risk of AF in multivariable analyses adjusting for body composition measures. In a cohort of elderly Caucasian women, high lean body mass, height and weight were associated with increased risk of AF and the variables remained significant after adjusting for age and other known risk factors of AF. Using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) to assess body composition in 60 year old women, lean body mass was associated with increased risk of AF12. Cohorts on elderly women only are in need as the postmenopausal phase involves high risk for development CVD14 concomitant with significant change in body composition. We aimed to investigate whether different body composition measures (fat and lean body mass) and anthropometric measures (BMI, height and weight) are associated to risk of AF in elderly women

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