Increased prevalence of atrial fibrillation after the Great East Japan Earthquake: Results from the Fukushima Health Management Survey

Hitoshi Suzuki; Tetsuya Ohira; Yasuchika Takeishi; Mitsuaki Hosoya; Seiji Yasumura; Hiroaki Satoh; Yukihiko Kawasaki; Atsushi Takahashi; Akira Sakai; Akira Ohtsuru; Gen Kobashi; Kotaro Ozasa; Shunichi Yamashita; Kenji Kamiya; Masafumi Abe; Fukushima Health Management Survey Group

doi:10.1016/j.ijcard.2015.06.151

Increased prevalence of atrial fibrillation after the Great East Japan Earthquake: Results from the Fukushima Health Management Survey

Int J Cardiol. 2015 Nov 1:198:102-5. doi: 10.1016/j.ijcard.2015.06.151. Epub 2015 Jul 2.

Authors

Collaborators

Affiliations

¹ Department of Arrhythmia and Cardiac Pacing, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan; Department of Cardiology and Hematology, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan; Radiation Medical Science Center for the Fukushima Health Management Survey, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan. Electronic address: shitoshi@fmu.ac.jp.
² Department of Epidemiology, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan; Radiation Medical Science Center for the Fukushima Health Management Survey, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan.
³ Department of Cardiology and Hematology, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan; Radiation Medical Science Center for the Fukushima Health Management Survey, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan.
⁴ Department of Pediatrics, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan; Radiation Medical Science Center for the Fukushima Health Management Survey, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan.
⁵ Department of Public Health, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan; Radiation Medical Science Center for the Fukushima Health Management Survey, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan.
⁶ Department of Nephrology, Hypertension, Diabetology, Endocrinology, and Metabolism, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan; Radiation Medical Science Center for the Fukushima Health Management Survey, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan.
⁷ Department of Gastroenterology and Rheumatology, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan; Radiation Medical Science Center for the Fukushima Health Management Survey, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan.
⁸ Department of Radiation Life Sciences, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan; Radiation Medical Science Center for the Fukushima Health Management Survey, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan.
⁹ Department of Radiation Health Management, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan; Radiation Medical Science Center for the Fukushima Health Management Survey, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan.
¹⁰ Department of Planning and Management, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, Chiba, Japan; Radiation Medical Science Center for the Fukushima Health Management Survey, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan.
¹¹ Department of Epidemiology, Radiation Effects Research Foundation, Hiroshima, Japan; Radiation Medical Science Center for the Fukushima Health Management Survey, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan.
¹² Japan and Atomic Bomb Disease Institute, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan; Radiation Medical Science Center for the Fukushima Health Management Survey, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan.
¹³ Research Institute for Radiation Biology and Medicine, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan; Radiation Medical Science Center for the Fukushima Health Management Survey, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan.
¹⁴ Radiation Medical Science Center for the Fukushima Health Management Survey, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan.

PMID: 26163270
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijcard.2015.06.151

Abstract

Background: Previous studies have shown that control of cardiovascular risk factors deteriorates among residents after a natural disaster. This study assessed the hypothesis that the prevalence of atrial fibrillation (AF) increased among residents in the evacuation zone of Fukushima prefecture after the Great East Japan Earthquake.

Methods and results: This longitudinal study examined subjects aged 40-90 years using data collected from 26,163 participants (11,628 men and 14,535 women) sourced from general health checkups conducted in twelve communities, including the evacuation zone specified by the government, between 2008 and 2010. The study obtained 12-lead ECG tracings and conducted follow-up examinations from June 2011 to the end of March 2013. A total of 12,410 participants (5704 men and 6706 women, follow-up proportion: 47%) received follow-up examinations after the earthquake, with an average follow-up of 1.4 years. The prevalence of AF increased among participants after the earthquake (before: 1.9% vs. after: 2.4%, P<.001). During the follow-up period, 79 incidences of AF occurred among participants. Excess ethanol intake (≥44 g/day) and obesity showed associations with an increased risk of AF after the earthquake, with multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (95% confidence interval) of 3.07 (1.55-6.08) and 1.87 (1.19-2.94), respectively.

Conclusions: The prevalence of AF increased among residents in the evacuation zone of Fukushima prefecture after the Great East Japan Earthquake, with excess alcohol intake and obesity associated with an increased risk of AF.

Keywords: Alcohol; Atrial fibrillation; Earthquake; Obesity.

MeSH terms

Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Alcohol Drinking / adverse effects
Alcohol Drinking / epidemiology
Atrial Fibrillation / diagnosis*
Atrial Fibrillation / epidemiology*
Disasters*
Earthquakes*
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Health Surveys*
Humans
Japan / epidemiology
Longitudinal Studies
Male
Middle Aged
Obesity / complications
Obesity / diagnosis
Obesity / epidemiology
Prevalence