[The etiology and associated risk factors in a sample of 300 patients with atrial fibrillation].
OBJECTIVE
To analyze the etiology and the prevalence of risk factors in patients with atrial fibrillation.


METHODS
Applying an unpaired case controlled study, we examined 300 consecutive patients (143 men) with atrial fibrillation and a mean age of 66 +/- 8 years. This group is compared with a control group of 700 patients (mean age 64 +/- 12 years).


RESULTS
In the group with atrial fibrillation the etiology in 32% was arterial hypertension, in 20% coronary heart disease, in 13% valvular heart disease, in 11% heart failure, in 4% hyperthyroidism and in 20% idiopathic. 50% presented hypertension, 29% tobaccoism, 26% left ventricular hypertrophy, 20% consumption of alcohol, 19% hypercholesterolemia and 16% diabetes. Compared with the control group, patients with atrial fibrillation had coronary heart disease (p < 0.05), VHD (p < 0.01), myocardiopathy (p < 0.05), HT (p < 0.001), left ventricular hypertrophy (p < 0.001), diabetes (p < 0.01) and alcohol consumption (p < 0.01) more frequently. In the multivariant analysis heart failure (odds ratio 2.1 [1.2-3.3]), the valvular heart disease (odds ratio 2.2 [1.4-3.5]), the coronary heart disease (odds ratio 1.8 [1.2-2.6]), the arterial hypertension (odds ratio 1.7 [1.2-2.3]), the left ventricular hypertrophy (odds ratio 2.6 [1.7-3.8]), the diabetes (odds ratio 1.9 [1.2-2.9]) and alcoholic habits (odds ratio 2 [1.3-3.9]) were independent risk factors for atrial fibrillation in our population.


CONCLUSIONS
Atrial fibrillation in our study, is more frequent in patients with arterial hypertension, coronary heart disease or valvular heart disease. There are other risk factors such as arterial hypertension, diabetes and consumption of alcohol too, the modification of which could diminish the risk of the appearance of atrial fibrillation.
Barriales Alvarez
V
V
Servicio de Cardiología, Hospital Central de Asturias, Oviedo.
Morís de la Tassa
C
C
Sánchez Posada
I
I
Barriales Villa
R
R
Rubin López
J
J
de la Hera Galarza
J M
JM
Vara Manso
J
J
Hevia Nava
S
S
Cortina Llosa
A
A
D000368:Aged; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors
Estudio de la etiología y factores de riesgo asociados en una muestra de 300 pacientes con fibrilación auricular.