Arrhythmias & electrophysiologyCohort study
A Mendelian randomization study investigating the role of sleep traits and their joint effects on the incidence of atrial fibrillation
- Mendelian randomisation study
- one-sample Mendelian randomization (MR)
- factorial MR
- observational cohort
Authors' conclusion
Our study indicates that insomnia symptoms and short sleep duration are causal risk factors for AF. However, having two sleep traits in combination does not increase risk beyond the additive risk of each individual trait.
Study context
- Population
- UK Biobank and the second survey of the Trøndelag Health Study (HUNT2)
- Exposure
- Genetic predisposition to sleep traits, individually and jointly
- Outcome
- Incident AF
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
AF risk, one-sample MR
Hazard ratio (95% CI)
Genetic predisposition to insomnia symptomsUK Biobank
1.14(1.07–1.21)
Short sleep duration (≤6 h) vs 7-8 hUK Biobank
1.14(1.04–1.26)
Genetic predisposition to insomnia symptomsHUNT2; not consistent
0.95(0.81–1.11)
Short sleep durationHUNT2; not consistent
1.41(0.57–3.46)
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Atrial fibrillation (AF) risk, factorial MR (joint sleep traits)
| Comparison | HR (95% CI) | |
|---|---|---|
| Insomnia symptoms + short sleep duration · UK Biobank; RERI 0.03 (95% CI −0.03, 0.09) | 1.08 (1.03–1.12) | |
| Insomnia symptoms + short sleep duration · HUNT2; not consistent | 0.96 (0.89–1.04) | |
| Morning chronotype + insomnia symptoms · UK Biobank; RERI −0.01 (95% CI −0.07, 0.04) | 1.08 (1.04–1.13) | |
| Morning chronotype + short sleep · UK Biobank; RERI 0.06 (95% CI −0.01, 0.12) | 1.06 (1.02–1.10) | |
| 0.512Hazard ratio (log scale) |
AF risk, factorial MR (joint sleep traits)
- No evidence of interaction
Original publication
A Mendelian randomization study investigating the role of sleep traits and their joint effects on the incidence of atrial fibrillation. Eur J Prev Cardiol. Published 6 February 2025. doi:10.1093/eurjpc/zwaf062
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it