Serum High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein Levels and the Risk of Atrial Fibrillation in Japanese Population: the Circulatory Risk in Communities Study

Aim: This study aimed to investigate the association between the serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels and incident atrial fibrillation risk in the general Japanese population, who have lower hs-CRP levels than the Western population, and assess whether the association is modified by sex, overweight, hypertension, and smoking status. Methods: We conducted a prospective study in 6517 Japanese men and women aged 40–79 years without atrial fibrillation at baseline and enrolled in the Circulatory Risk in Communities Study (2002–2008). The hs-CRP levels were measured using the latex particle-enhanced immunonephelometric assay. Atrial fibrillation was identified using standard 12-lead electrocardiograms and information on physician-diagnosed atrial fibrillation history from the follow-up surveys. We used a Cox proportional hazard regression stratified by community. Results: During a median follow-up of 11 years, 127 new cases of atrial fibrillation (74 and 53 cases among men and women, respectively) were found. Compared to the lowest quintile of hs-CRP levels, the multivariable hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) were 2.54 (1.17–5.50), 2.28 (1.06–4.93), 2.92 (1.37–6.23), and 2.77 (1.30–5.91) for the second, third, fourth, and fifth (highest) quintiles, respectively. There was no significant effect modification by sex, overweight, hypertension, and smoking status (P for interaction > 0.05). Conclusions: Elevated hs-CRP levels were significantly associated with increased risk of atrial fibrillation in the Japanese population. The association of hs-CRP levels with incident atrial fibrillation did not vary according to sex, overweight, hypertension status, or smoking status.