In a new study, researchers found that taller people have an increased risk of developing atrial fibrillation (AFib), an irregular and often rapid heartbeat that can lead to stroke, heart failure, and other complications.
The research reveals a strong link between the genetic variants associated with height and one’s risk for AFib.
It is the among the first to demonstrate that height may be a causal—not correlated—risk factor for AFib.
The research was conducted by a team at Penn Medicine.
AFib, which affects more than 33 million people worldwide, is a common, abnormal heart rhythm.
There are a number of clinical risk factors for developing AFib, including high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and obesity.
Previous studies have found that taller individuals appear to have a higher risk of developing AFib.
However, questions exist about whether height can cause AFib, or if it’s just a common, insignificant factor.
In the study, the team used data from the Genetic Investigation of Anthropometric Trials (GIANT) consortium, which studied more than 700,000 individuals to identify genetic variants associated with height.
They also examined data from the Atrial Fibrillation Genetics (AFGen) consortium, which studied more than 500,000 individuals to identify genetic variants associated with AFib.
The team found that the risk for AFib climbed as one’s height increased, with every one-inch increase in height translating to about a three percent increase in the risk of Afib—independent of other clinical factors—as compared to those at average height (5 feet and 7 inches).
Their analysis revealed that genetic variants associated with height were also strongly associated with Afib, suggesting that increased height may be a cause of atrial fibrillation.
The findings suggest it may be beneficial to incorporate height into risk-prediction tools for AFib
While current guidelines advise against widespread screening for AFib, the findings show that a certain group of patients—specifically, very tall patients—may benefit from screening.
The lead author of the study is Michael Levin, MD, a Cardiovascular Medicine fellow at Penn.
The study was presented at the American Heart Association’s 2019 Scientific Sessions.
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