Atrial fibrillation is the most common form of cardiac arrhythmia and is associated with an increased risk of stroke and other cardiovascular conditions.
While it primarily affects the middle-aged and the elderly, the estimated incidence in the young is low, ranging from 0.12 to 0.16 percent.
However, little is known about the risk of atrial fibrillation in individuals with adverse birth outcomes, such as preterm birth and foetal growth restriction.
Researchers from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden have revealed new findings on the risk of atrial fibrillation in children and young adults based on their birth weight and gestational age.
The study, published in JAMA Pediatrics, discovered that preterm birth and being large for gestational age were linked to a higher risk of developing atrial fibrillation later in life, while being small for gestational age only increased the risk of atrial fibrillation up to the age of 18.
The incidence of atrial fibrillation in young people has increased over recent decades, and this research provides valuable insights into the factors contributing to this trend.
“Atrial fibrillation at a young age may involve a heavy socioeconomic burden for the affected individuals and we need to learn more about the underlying causes of the disease,” remarks first author Fen Yang. “Our findings may highlight the need to monitor and prevent the disease in individuals with an elevated risk of atrial fibrillation.”
About 5% of babies born in Sweden are considered preterm, meaning they are born before week 37, according to the National Board of Health and Welfare. Research indicates that individuals born preterm or with foetal growth restriction have a slightly higher likelihood of developing cardiovascular diseases, including ischemic heart disease, stroke, and heart failure in their later years.
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Atrial fibrillation is a common form of cardiac arrhythmia that increases the risk of stroke and other cardiovascular conditions. While it mainly affects middle-aged and elderly individuals, the estimated incidence in the young is low, at 0.12 to 0.16 percent.
However, the latest study found that individuals born preterm or large for gestational age are at a slightly higher risk of developing atrial fibrillation up to middle-age than those with normal birth outcomes.
“We found that individuals born preterm and those who were large for gestational age at birth had a slightly higher risk of developing atrial fibrillation up to middle-age than those with corresponding normal birth outcomes,” points out principal investigator Krisztina László. “Individuals who were small for gestational age at birth had an increased risk of atrial fibrillation up to the age of 18, but not later in adulthood.”
The study also revealed that individuals who were small for gestational age at birth had an increased risk of atrial fibrillation up to the age of 18, but not later in adulthood.
The risk increase was 30 percent for individuals born preterm, 55 percent for individuals who were large at birth, and 71 percent for individuals who were both preterm and large for gestational age at birth.
The study relied on statistical analyses of more than eight million births from medical birth registries in Denmark (1978-2016), Finland (1987-2014), and Sweden (1973-2014). Researchers followed the participants for incident atrial fibrillation in national patient and cause of death registries until 2021.
The study also compared the results with siblings in the same families. Since the study was observational, no causal relationships could be established.
Moving forward, researchers may investigate the association between preterm birth, foetal growth, and the risk of atrial fibrillation up to old age.
Source: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2023.0083
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