Data from: The association between alcohol consumption, cardiac biomarkers, left atrial size and re-ablation in patients with atrial fibrillation referred for catheter ablation

Background: Information on alcohol consumption in patients undergoing
radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of atrial fibrillation (AF) is often limited
by the reliance on self-reports. The aim of this study was to describe the
long-term alcohol consumption, measured as ethyl glucuronide in hair
(hEtG), in patients undergoing RFA due to AF, and to examine potential
associations with cardiac biomarkers, left atrial size and re-ablation
within one year after the initial RFA. Methods: The amount of hEtG was
measured in patients referred for RFA, and a cut-off of 7 pg/mg was used.
N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and the mid-regional
fragment of pro atrial natriuretic peptide (MR-proANP) were examined and
maximum left atrium volume index (LAVI) was measured. The number of
re-ablations was examined up to one year after the initial RFA. Analyses
were stratified by gender, and adjusted for age, systolic blood pressure,
body mass index, presence of heart failure and heart rhythm for analyses
regarding NT-proBNP, MR-proANP and LAVI and heart rhythm being replaced by
type of AF for analyses regarding re-ablation. Results: In total, 192
patients were included in the study. Median (25th – 75th percentile)
NT-proBNP in men with hEtG ≥ 7 vs. < 7 pg/mg was 250 (96-695) vs.
130 (49-346) pg/ml (p = 0.010), and in women it was 230 (125-480) vs. 230
(125-910) pg/ml (p = 0.810). Median MR-proANP in men with hEtG ≥ 7 vs.
< 7 pg/mg was 142 (100-224) vs. 117 (83-179) pmol/l (p=0.120) and
in women it was 139 (112-206) vs. 153 (93-249) pmol/l (p = 0.965). The
median of maximum LAVI was 30.1 (26.7-33.9) vs. 25.8 (21.4-32.0) ml/m2 (p
= 0.017) in men, and 25.0 (18.9-29.6) vs. 25.7 (21.7-34.6) ml/m2 (p
=0.438) in women, with hEtG ≥ 7 vs. < 7 pg/ml, respectively.
Adjusted analyses showed similar results, except for MR-proANP turning out
significant in men with hEtG ≥ 7 vs. < 7 pg/mg (p=0.047). The odds
ratio of having a re-ablation was 3.5 (95% CI 1.3-9.6, p = 0.017) in men
with hEtG ≥ 7 vs. < 7 pg/mg, while there was no significant
difference in women. Conclusions: In male patients with AF and hEtG ≥ 7
pg/mg, NT-proBNP and MR-proANP were higher, LA volumes larger, and there
was a higher rate of re-ablations, as compared to men with hEtG < 7
pg/mg. This implies that men with an alcohol consumption corresponding to
an hEtG-value ≥ 7, have a higher risk for LA remodelling that could
potentially lead to a deterioration of the AF situation.