title: Atrial fibrillation (AF) and complete right bundle branch block (RBBB) are independently associated with increased hemoglobin levels in apparently healthy subjects.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The associations between atrial fibrillation (AF) or complete right bundle branch block (RBBB) and other laboratory tests have not been examined sufficiently in healthy populations.
  
  
  METHODS
  These associations were examined with multivariable logistic regression analyses using data from 6,381 apparently healthy subjects including 46 subjects with AF and 100 subjects with RBBB.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age, body mass index (BMI), hemoglobin, the prevalence of male sex and a history of coronary heart disease (CHD) were significantly higher in subjects with AF or RBBB than without. The odds ratio (OR) (95% confidence interval (CI)) of AF was 1.62 (1.28-2.05) p<0.0001 for each 1 g/dL increment of hemoglobin and 1.07 (0.36-3.21) p=0.90 and 4.32 (1.29-14.43) p=0.017, respectively for the second and the third tertiles of hemoglobin compared with the first tertile after adjusting for sex, age, BMI, CHD, and other confounding covariates. The OR (95% CI) of RBBB was 1.53 (1.32-1.77) p<0.0001 for each 1 g/dL increment of hemoglobin and 2.53 (1.06-6.00) p=0.036, 3.10 (1.12-8.61) p=0.030, and 4.03 (0.91-17.82) p=0.066, respectively, for the second, third, and fourth quartiles of hemoglobin compared with the first quartile after adjusting for sex, age, BMI, CHD, and other confounding covariates.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An increased blood levels of hemoglobin was independently associated with AF and RBBB after adjusting for sex, age, BMI, CHD, and other confounding covariates in apparently healthy subjects.
authors.affiliation: Medical Check-up Center, Tachikawa Medical Center, Japan. ijie@venus.sannet.ne.jp
authors.forename: Eiji
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Oda
authors.forename: Masato
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oda
authors.forename: Yoshifusa
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Aizawa
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002037:Bundle-Branch Block / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D016208:Databases, Factual; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000379:methods; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012016:Reference Values; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D004921:Erythropoietin