Study of the Relation between High Serum Uric Acid Levels and Atrial Fibrillation Prevalence in Tishreen University Hospital

Abstract

Introduction: Atrial fibrillation is a common cardiac rhythm disorder that has seen a significant increase in its incidence over the decades. According to the Framingham Heart Study, the occurrence of atrial fibrillation has tripled over the past fifty years. It is estimated that there are between 3 to 6 million cases of atrial fibrillation in the United States, with this number expected to rise to between 6 to 16 million by 2050. In Asia, atrial fibrillation is anticipated to be diagnosed in 72 million individuals, reflecting its substantial impact on public health. Early detection of atrial fibrillation is crucial, as one-third of patients may be asymptomatic. Additionally, atrial fibrillation is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases and strokes, particularly among the elderly.

Materials and Methods: The total research sample included 164 patients, of whom 82 were diagnosed with atrial fibrillation through electrocardiography or Holter monitoring. A sample of 82 patients was selected as a control group to compare the results. The study was designed as an analytical case-control study at Tishreen University Hospital, and the research period extended from May 2023 to September 2024. All patients underwent blood uric acid analysis and statistical studies such as independent T-test, Chi-square test, and Pearson correlation coefficient. Additionally, One Way ANOVA was used to monitor differences among multiple groups, and a ROC curve was drawn to determine the uric acid value in predicting atrial fibrillation. IBM SPSS Statistics software was utilized for data analysis.

Results: The study included 82 patients with atrial fibrillation, with a higher percentage of females (56.1%) compared to males (43.9%). The ages of the participants ranged from 47 to 97 years, with an average age of 69.48 years. The results showed that 79.3% of the patients used beta-blockers, 58.5% used antiplatelet agents, and 53.7% used direct oral anticoagulants. Elevated levels of uric acid were observed in patients with atrial fibrillation (5.56±1.01 mg/dL) compared to the control group (4.74±0.8 mg/dL), with statistically significant differences between genders; the average uric acid level in males was higher (6.07 mg/dL) than in females (5.16 mg/dL). The predictive value of blood uric acid was 5.45 mg/dL for males and 4.35 mg/dL for females based on the ROC curve.

Conclusion: The results showed that patients with atrial fibrillation had elevated levels of uric acid compared to the control group. The study also indicated that uric acid could have predictive value in diagnosing atrial fibrillation, as levels were higher in males compared to females.