Low prevalence of atrial fibrillation in Amerindians: a population-based study in frequent fish consumers living in rural coastal Ecuador (The Atahualpa Project).

BACKGROUND

Information on the burden of atrial fibrillation (AF) in rural areas of developing countries is limited. Here, we aimed to assess AF prevalence in community-dwelling older adults living in rural Ecuador.

METHODS

Atahualpa residents aged ≥60 years (mean age 70.5 ± 8.1 years) underwent 24-h Holter monitoring. Participants belong to the Amerindian ethnic group. The mean height in the study population was 147.9 ± 8.9 cm. Oily fish was a major source of food (mean intake: 8 ± 4 servings/week).

RESULTS

Seven of 298 participants (2.3%) had AF. Persons with AF were older than those without (p = 0.051), but there were no differences in cardiovascular risk factors across groups. None of the seven AF cases had been detected in routine 12-lead ECGs taken at enrollment.

CONCLUSIONS

Prevalence of AF in older Amerindians living in rural Ecuador is low. Both, racially-determined short stature and frequent dietary oily fish intake might explain the low prevalence of AF in this rural setting.