Lower risk of stroke after alcohol abstinence in patients with incident atrial fibrillation: a nationwide population-based cohort study
Authors' conclusion
Current alcohol consumption was associated with an increased risk of ischaemic stroke in patients with newly diagnosed AF, and alcohol abstinence after AF diagnosis could reduce the risk of ischaemic stroke.
Study context
- Population
- Patients newly diagnosed with atrial fibrillation (AF), 2010–2016, Korean nationwide claims and health examination database51% non-drinkers, 13% abstainers, 36% current drinkers
- Participants
- 97,869 patients
- Exposure
- Abstainers and non-drinkers vs current drinkers after AF diagnosis
- Outcome
- Incident ischaemic stroke
- Follow-up
- 5-year follow-up
Methodological detailsinverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW)
- Inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW)
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Ischaemic stroke
Each group vs current drinkersIncidence rate difference, per 1000 person-years (CI)
Abstainers
−2.03(−3.25 to −0.82)
Non-drinkers
−2.98(−3.81 to −2.15)
Each group vs current drinkersIncidence rate ratio (CI)
Non-drinkers
0.75(0.70–0.81)
Abstainers
0.83(0.74–0.93)
- Overall incident ischaemic stroke (3120 patients) over 310 926 person-years
- 10.0 per 1000 person-years
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Original publication
Lower risk of stroke after alcohol abstinence in patients with incident atrial fibrillation: a nationwide population-based cohort study. Eur Heart J. Published 7 June 2021. doi:10.
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it