Oscar H Del Brutto1, Aldo F Costa2, José A Cano2, Ernesto Peñaherrera3, Karin J Plaza2, Ernesto A Ledesma2, Daniel Tettamanti4, Mauricio Zambrano5. 1. School of Medicine, Universidad Espíritu Santo - Ecuador, Km 2.5 via Puntilla-Samborondon, Guayaquil, Ecuador. oscardelbrutto@hotmail.com. 2. School of Medicine, Universidad Espíritu Santo - Ecuador, Km 2.5 via Puntilla-Samborondon, Guayaquil, Ecuador. 3. Department of Cardiology, Luis Vernaza Hospital, Guayaquil, Ecuador. 4. Department of Internal Medicine, Luis Vernaza Hospital, Guayaquil, Ecuador. 5. Department of Community Center, The Atahualpa Project, Atahualpa, Ecuador.
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.
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.
Entities:
Keywords:
Amerindians; Atrial fibrillation; Cardiovascular risk factors; Ethnicity; Fish intake; Population study