Arrhythmias & electrophysiology
Joint association of loneliness and anxiety on atrial fibrillation risk
Authors' conclusion
Loneliness, especially longitudinal loneliness, increases AF risk. Furthermore, loneliness and anxiety synergistically increase AF risk.
Study context
- Population
- Healthy UK Biobank participants with complete loneliness and social isolation measurements
- Participants
- 319,901 participants
- Exposure
- Loneliness or social isolation vs none
- Outcome
- Incident AF
Methodological detailsUK Biobank
- UK Biobank
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
AF
Hazard ratio (95% CI)
Loneliness
1.14(1.03–1.26)
Persistent loneliness
2.11(1.08–4.11)
Social isolationno evidence of association
1.03(0.96–1.09)
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Atrial fibrillation (AF), joint effect of loneliness with depression or anxiety
| HR (95% CI) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Lonely with depression | 1.42 (1.05–1.92) | |
| Lonely with anxiety | 2.30 (1.59–3.33) | |
| 0.20.5125Hazard ratio (log scale) |
- AF, joint effect of loneliness with depression or anxiety — Loneliness × anxiety interaction on AF risk
- Pinteraction <.001
- AF, joint effect of loneliness with depression or anxiety: interaction P<.001
Original publication
Joint association of loneliness and anxiety on atrial fibrillation risk. Heart Rhythm. Published 22 July 2025. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →