Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42538060›Full record

SynthesisOpen heart2026

Genetic ancestry and risk of atrial fibrillation in individuals of Black ethnicity in the UK Biobank.

Chang Liu, Yan V Sun, Linzi Li, Lindsay J Collin, Amit J Shah, Alvaro Alonso

Abstract readMeta-Analysis
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Open heart, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Chang LiuDepartment of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8918-7224
Yan V SunDepartment of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
Linzi LiDepartment of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3835-5598
Lindsay J CollinDepartment of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
Amit J ShahDepartment of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
Alvaro AlonsoDepartment of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA alvaro.alonso@emory.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2225-8323

Funding

Identifying factors associated with ovarian cancer recurrence using a population-based approachR00CA277580 · NCI · EMORY UNIVERSITY · PI Lindsay Jane Collin · 2025 to 2026
$457k
NCI NIH HHS R00 CA277580
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundBlack individuals have a lower incidence of atrial fibrillation (AF) than White individuals, despite a higher burden of traditional risk factors. Prior studies have suggested that European genetic ancestry may contribute to this paradox, but findings have been inconsistent.

methodsWe examined the association between European genetic ancestry and incident AF among 6920 UK Biobank (UKB) participants who self-identified as Black and were free of AF at baseline. European ancestry proportions were estimated by comparing participants to HapMap populations and were analysed both continuously and categorically using Cox proportional hazards models. Non-linear associations were evaluated using flexible spline curves. We then conducted a meta-analysis combining these results with those from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study, the Cardiovascular Health Study and the Women's Health Initiative.

resultsDuring a median follow-up of 13.7 years, 205 (3%) participants developed incident AF. Each 10% increase in European ancestry was non-significantly associated with increased AF risk (HR 1.07 (95% CI 0.95 to 1.20)), and individuals in the highest European ancestry category had a higher AF incidence rate compared with all other categories. Random-effects meta-analysis of all four cohorts yielded a pooled relative risk (RR) of 1.09 (95% CI 0.99 to 1.21), with substantial heterogeneity largely driven by the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) study. Excluding WHI resulted in a pooled estimate (RR 1.14 (95% CI 1.05 to 1.23)) without heterogeneity.

conclusionIn UKB, European ancestry proportion was not significantly linked to incident AF, and pooled cross-cohort results were heterogeneous. Excluding WHI in sensitivity analyses produced a modest positive pooled association with no heterogeneity.

Indexed as

Atrial FibrillationBiological Specimen BanksBlack PeopleAfrican PeopleAgedFemaleGenetic Predisposition to DiseaseHumansIncidenceMaleMiddle AgedRisk AssessmentRisk FactorsUK BiobankUnited KingdomWhite PeopleAtrial FibrillationGENETICSRisk Factors

Identifiers

PMID42538060
PMCPMC13436105

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.