Underweight and the risk of atrial fibrillation in Asian population: A meta-analysis

Background Due to the lower prevalence of underweight in Western countries, the relationship between the underweight and atrial fibrillation is poorly studied; however, there is a relatively high prevalence of underweight in the Asian population. This meta-analysis aims to elucidate the relationship between underweight and atrial fibrillation in Asians. Methods Three databases (PubMed, EMBASE and Web of Knowledge) we searched for cohort studies on the relationship between underweight and the risk of atrial fibrillation in Asians. Underweight was defined as body mass index (BMI) < 18.5 kg/m2. Results Six cohort studies with 427,844 patients were included; of those, 27,429 were underweight. Underweight has a 30% greater risk of atrial fibrillation compared with normal weight (RR:1.31; 95%CI:1.13,1.51). Dose-response result showed a per 1 unit BMI decrement was associated with the risk of atrial fibrillation by 6% (95%CI:1.04–1.09) in underweight. Conclusion Based on current evidence, our results suggest that underweight is associated with an increased risk of atrial fibrillation in the Asia population. Whether our results can be generalized to other regions need further research.