Table 1. Clinical characteristics of the study group.
| Parameter | Patients with atrial fibrillation (n = 120) | Control group(n = 240) | p value |
| Age (years) | 70.4 ± 9.3 | 70.1 ± 9.2 | 0.76 |
| Male gender (n, %) | 63 (51.2) | 121 (50.4) | 0.89 |
| Smoking habit (n, %) | < 0.001 | ||
| Currently | 13 (10.6) | 71 (29.6) | |
| In the past | 41 (33.3) | 109 (45.4) | |
| Hypertension (n, %) | 102 (83.6) | 208 (86.7) | 0.38 |
| Diabetes mellitus (n, %) | 43 (35.0) | 95 (39.6) | 0.33 |
| Diabetes mellitus treatment (n, %) | 0.03 | ||
| Diet | 6 (4.9) | 10 (4.2) | |
| Tablets | 30 (24.4) | 46 (19.2) | |
| Insulin + tablets | 6 (4.9) | 42 (17.5) | |
| Family history of AF (n, %) | 5 (4.1) | 0 | 0.002 |
| Family history of cardiovascular diseases (n, %) | 40 (32.5) | 80 (33.3) | 0.88 |
| Past stroke or TIA (n, %) | 18 (14.6) | 50 (20.8) | 0.153 |
| History of hyperthyreosis (n, %) | 3 (2.4) | 9 (3.8) | 0.51 |
| CAD (n, %) | 30 (24.4) | 114 (47.5) | < 0.001 |
| Past myocardial infarction (n, %) | 14 (11.4) | 54 (22.5) | < 0.001 |
| CABG (n, %) | 4 (3.3) | 26 (10.8) | 0.013 |
| PCI (n, %) | 11 (8.9) | 46 (19.2) | 0.011 |
| EHRA score (0, 1, 2, 3) (n, %) | 17 (13.8) | ||
| 88 (71.5) | |||
| 18 (14.6) | |||
| Chronic kidney disease (n, %) | 29 (23.6) | 52 (21.7) | 0.7 |
| CCI (score) | 4.2 ± 1.9 | 4.9 ± 1.8 | 0.002 |
| Hemoglobin (g/dl) | 13.6 ± 1.6 | 13.3 ± 1.6 | 0.035 |
| NT-proBNP (pg/ml) | 2124.1 ± 2936.7 | 878.82 ± 1977.8 | < 0.001 |
| LDL cholesterol (mg/dl) | 92.5 ± 39.1 | 102.45 ± 39.8 | 0.025 |
| Triglycerides (mg/dl) | 109.3 ± 55.1 | 131.05 ± 78.3 | 0.007 |
| Glucose (mg/dl) | 113.3 ± 3.5 | 119.75 ± 4.7 | 0.15 |
| Potassium (mmol/l) | 4.45 ± 0.40 | 4.57 ± 0.45 | 0.015 |
| Creatinine (mg/dl) | 1.0 ± 0.3 | 1.00 ± 0.8 | 0.74 |
| Statin use (n, %) | 81 (66.4) | 227 (94.6) | < 0.001 |
| ACEI use (n, %) | 79 (64.2) | 156 (65.0) | 0.88 |
| β-blocker use (n, %) | 106 (86.2) | 172 (71.7) | 0.002 |
| Left ventricular diastolic diameter (mm) | 50.4 ± 6.9 | 47.3 ± 8.4 | < 0.001 |
| Left ventricular posterior wall thickness (mm) | 11.8 ± 1.9 | 11.3 ± 1.9 | 0.013 |
| Interventricular septum thickness (mm) | 11.7 ± 1.8 | 11.0 ± 1.9 | 0.001 |
| Left ventricular ejection fraction (%) | 52.7 ± 10.9 | 59.4 ± 10.3 | < 0.001 |
| Left atrial diameter (mm) | 46.5 ± 7.7 | 40.3 ± 5.8 | < 0.001 |
| Left atrial area adjusted for body surface area (cm2/m2) in apical four-chamber view | 13.7 ± 3.1 | 11.2 ± 5.9 | < 0.001 |
| Left atrial volume adjusted for body area (ml/m2) in apical four-chamber view | 53.4 ± 18.5 | 37.9 ± 13.0 | < 0.001 |
ACEI, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor; AF, atrial fibrillation; CABG, coronary artery bypass grafting; CAD, coronary artery disease; CCI, Charlson Comorbidity Index; EHRA, European Heart Rhythm Association score of AF-related symptoms; LDL, low-density lipoprotein; NT-proBNP, NH(2)-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide; PCI, percutaneous coronary intervention; TIA, transient ischemic attack.