To investigate the association between gout and incident atrial fibrillation (AF) in a large nationwide cohort of Korean adults aged 20–39 years.
Approach:
Study Design: Retrospective cohort study using data from the Korean National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) database.
Population: Included 6,506,721 individuals aged 20–39 years who underwent health screening between 2009 and 2012.
Data Analysis: Cox proportional hazards regression models estimated hazard ratios (HRs) for incident AF, adjusting for demographic, lifestyle, and clinical factors.
Key Findings:
Gout was associated with a significantly increased risk of AF (fully adjusted HR, 1.44; 95% CI, 1.31–1.58).
Cumulative incidence of AF was significantly higher in the gout group (log-rank P <.001).
Stronger associations were observed among non-obese individuals and those with chronic kidney disease (CKD).
Interpretation:
Limitations:
The study is retrospective and relies on administrative data, which may have limitations in accuracy.
Potential confounding factors may not have been fully accounted for despite adjustments.
