Parental Atrial Fibrillation significantly increases Afib risk in offsprings, finds study

Parental Atrial Fibrillation significantly increases Afib risk in offsprings, finds a study.

Family history of Atrial Fibrillation increases risk of heart attack and stroke in offsprings, revealed a study published in the Journal Stroke.

Identification of risk factors for stroke has always been a challenge for doctors. Just like behavior, lifestyle, and environments, heredity or genes also determine the risk of stroke. The study published in the journal showed that incidence rates for stroke/transient ischemic attack (TIA) were higher in offspring with a parental history of AF. Parental AF was associated with elevated risk in offspring of stroke/TIA and a higher frequency of other cardiovascular risk factors. The trend was most commonly observed in early adulthood after arranging the demographic and socioeconomic parameters.

Cryptogenic strokes are often the first clinical manifestation of undiagnosed atrial fibrillation. The study was designed to test whether parental AF is a risk factor for stroke in young adults.

Population-based cohort study using linked administrative databases from April 1, 1972, to March 31, 2016, in Manitoba, Canada for 325 333 offspring (age ≥18 years) with at least 1 linked parent (total 582 195 parents). The authors examined the association between parental history of AF and stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) in the offspring using multivariable Cox proportional hazards models.

The analysis showed that offspring median age at study entry was 18 years. During 5.533 million person-years of follow-up (mean 17 years), 8678 offspring had an incident stroke or TIA (5.2% of the 24 583 offspring with a parental history of AF compared with 2.5% of the 300 750 offspring with no parental history of AF), and 1430 were diagnosed with AF (1.9% versus 0.3%).

Incidence rates for stroke/TIA were higher in offspring with a parental history of AF. Parental AF was associated with elevated risk in offspring of stroke/TIA or AF and a higher frequency of other cardiovascular risk factors. After adjusting for demographics, a region of residence, socioeconomic status, and other stroke risk factors in offspring, parental AF was associated with AF in their offspring in young adulthood; the association of parental AF with offspring stroke/TIA was attenuated after adjusting for the other cardiovascular risk factors.

"Parental AF is associated with increased risk of AF and other cardiovascular risk factors in their offspring during early adulthood, resulting in increased stroke risk." concluded the authors.

For further reference, click on the link: doi: 10.1161/STROKEAHA.119.025124.