Introduction
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality[1,2]. The prevalence of AF increases with advancing age and is estimated to affect up to 0.5% of individuals under the age of 45 years [3,4].
Previous studies suggest that paroxysmal AF is the most common type of AF in young adults, accounting for up to half of all AF diagnoses in this population [5,6]. Several predisposing risk factors for AF in young adults have been identified, including hypertension (HTN), diabetes mellitus (DM), obesity, smoking, vigorous or high-intensity exercise, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), family history of AF, alcohol use, and hyperthyroidism[6-7].
Despite the high prevalence of AF and its resultant significant morbidity and mortality, there is scarcity of studies that investigated AF in Middle Eastern populations [8-12]. Additionally, special populations such as young individuals with AF have not been thoroughly investigated previously, and studies comparing these individuals to their older counterparts are relatively nonexistent. Comprehensive and well-structured studies of AF in Middle Eastern populations are needed due to their distinctive demographics and higher prevalence of certain AF risk factors such as smoking, HTN, DM, and obesity even among younger age groups [13-15]. Such studies can also help developing evidence-based guidelines, optimizing the care and treatment of AF in this population. Additionally, such studies can guide healthcare providers to better diagnostic and therapeutic schemes, improve patient outcomes, and reduce the impact of AF on patients’ health and well-being.
Our present analysis pertains to young patients with AF included in the Jordan Atrial Fibrillation (JoFib) registry patients followed up for one year. We aimed to compare their clinical characteristics and one-year outcomes to those of older AF patients.