A Retrospective Study to Determine the Association Between Serum Albumin Levels and Atrial Fibrillation by Sex in 950 Patients from a Single Center in China.

BACKGROUND It remains unclear whether there is a sex difference in the association between serum albumin (ALB) and atrial fibrillation (AF). This retrospective case-control study from a single center in China aimed to determine the association between serum ALB levels and AF by sex in 950 patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS Data of 950 AF patients and 963 age- and sex-matched non-AF patients with sinus rhythm were collected and analyzed retrospectively. Clinical baseline data were analyzed using the t test or Mann-Whitney U test, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and chi-square test. The interrelationships were determined by Pearson correlation analysis, and multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to adjust for covariables. RESULTS ALB levels of AF patients were significantly lower in both sexes (P<0.05), especially paroxysmal AF. ALB was positively correlated with total cholesterol (TC) (r=0.359, P<0.05), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) (r=0.283, P<0.05), and serum apolipoprotein A1 (APOA1) (r=0.429, P<0.05) and was negatively correlated with serum creatinine (SCr) (r=0.129, P<0.05) in patients with AF. We found an independent negative association between ALB levels and AF in men after adjusting for confounding factors (OR=0.889, 95% CI: 0.845-0.934, P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS In patients at a single center in China, low serum ALB levels in male patients were significantly associated with AF. These findings support those from previous studies in other populations and highlight the importance of monitoring and treating the cause of hypoalbuminemia in cardiac patients.