1. Low prevalence of atrial fibrillation in Amerindians: a population-based study in frequent fish consumers living in rural coastal Ecuador (The Atahualpa Project).
- Author
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Del Brutto OH, Costa AF, Cano JA, Peñaherrera E, Plaza KJ, Ledesma EA, Tettamanti D, and Zambrano M
- Subjects
- Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Animals, Atrial Fibrillation diagnosis, Atrial Fibrillation ethnology, Cohort Studies, Ecuador epidemiology, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Prevalence, Risk Factors, Rural Population statistics & numerical data, Atrial Fibrillation epidemiology, Diet, Fishes, Indians, South American statistics & numerical data
- Abstract
Background: Information on the burden of atrial fibrillation (AF) in rural areas of developing countries is limited. Here, we aimed to assess AF prevalence in community-dwelling older adults living in rural Ecuador., Methods: Atahualpa residents aged ≥60 years (mean age 70.5 ± 8.1 years) underwent 24-h Holter monitoring. Participants belong to the Amerindian ethnic group. The mean height in the study population was 147.9 ± 8.9 cm. Oily fish was a major source of food (mean intake: 8 ± 4 servings/week)., Results: Seven of 298 participants (2.3%) had AF. Persons with AF were older than those without (p = 0.051), but there were no differences in cardiovascular risk factors across groups. None of the seven AF cases had been detected in routine 12-lead ECGs taken at enrollment., Conclusions: Prevalence of AF in older Amerindians living in rural Ecuador is low. Both, racially-determined short stature and frequent dietary oily fish intake might explain the low prevalence of AF in this rural setting.
- Published
- 2018
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