Arrhythmias & electrophysiologyCohort study
Combined effect of genetic predisposition and socioeconomic deprivation on atrial fibrillation risk
- Prospective cohort study
- replication in independent cohort
Authors' conclusion
Socioeconomically deprived individuals have a significantly higher risk of AF, with this risk further influenced by genetic predisposition.
Study context
- Population
- UK Biobank participants without prior atrial fibrillation (AF); replication in a South Korean cohortKorean cohort n=7,898
- Participants
- 425,423 participants
- Exposure
- Socioeconomically deprived vs non-deprived
- Deprivedn = 21,264
- Outcome
- Incident AF
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Adjusted hazard ratio
1.16
95% CI 1.09–1.24
P < 0.001
By group
Deprived vs Non-deprived
adjusted HR 1.16 (95% CI 1.09–1.24); P < 0.001
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Incident AF, deprivation effect by genetic risk (polygenic risk score (PRS) tertile)
- Deprivation effect, lowest PRS tertile (low genetic risk): aHR [95% CI]
- 1.36 [1.19-1.56]
- Deprivation effect, highest PRS tertile (high genetic risk): aHR [95% CI]
- 1.11 [1.01-1.22]
- interaction P=0.0013
Incident AF by Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) component
- Most IMD components (except housing and living environment) linked to increased AF risk: aHR range
- 1.13 to 1.19
Replication in Korean cohort
- Results consistent in the Korean cohort (n)
- 7,898
Original publication
Combined effect of genetic predisposition and socioeconomic deprivation on atrial fibrillation risk. Eur J Prev Cardiol. Published 28 February 2026. doi:10.1093/eurjpc/zwag119
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it