Middle-aged adults with elevated serum uric acid are at increased risk of new-onset AF in later life regardless of traditional cardiovascular risk factors or comorbidities, a large study suggests.

Swedish researchers have found that those with higher uric acid concentrations are up to 45% more likely to develop the condition than patients with relatively low concentrations.

The association remains significant even after accounting for the presence of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and gout, they report.

“This means that uric acid may not only operate through cardiometabolic mechanisms to increase the risk of AF, but it may also have a direct influence on AF development through other mechanisms,” said lead author Dr Mozhu Ding (PhD), from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm.