title: Early life predictors of atrial fibrillation-related mortality: evidence from the health and retirement study.
abstract: Prior research found that Americans born in 6 southeastern states (the AF-risk zone) had elevated risk of AF-related mortality, but no mechanisms were identified. We hypothesized the association between AF-related mortality and AF-risk zone birth is explained by indicators of childhood social disadvantage or adult risk factors. In 24,323 participants in the US Health and Retirement Study, we found that birth in the AF-risk zone was significantly associated with hazard of AF-related mortality. Among whites, the relationship was specific to place of birth, rather than place of adult residence. Neither paternal education nor subjectively assessed childhood SES predicted AF-related mortality. Conventional childhood and adult cardiovascular risk factors did not explain the association between place of birth and AF-related mortality.
authors: Department of Society, Human Development, and Health, Harvard School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Avenue, Kresge 617, Boston, MA 02115, USA. mglymour@hsph.harvard.edu
authors: M Maria
authors: MM
authors: Glymour
authors: Emelia J
authors: EJ
authors: Benjamin
authors: Anna
authors: A
authors: Kosheleva
authors: Paola
authors: P
authors: Gilsanz
authors: Lesley H
authors: LH
authors: Curtis
authors: Kristen K
authors: KK
authors: Patton
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000401:mortality*; D002648:Child; D062306:Geography, Medical; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D064890:Social Determinants of Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D015144:Southeastern United States / Q000453:epidemiology