Could the Flu Shot Lower Risk of Atrial Fibrillation?

Influenza infection is associated with an 18% increased risk of developing atrial fibrillation (AF), which could be lowered through vaccination against the illness, according to a recent study.

Previous research has shown a possible connection between influenza infection and the risk of developing AF, but the effects of the influenza vaccine on this relationship are less well documented.
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To examine this association, researchers conducted a study of 11,374 patients with newly diagnosed AF as well as 4 healthy control patients per study participant, matched by age and sex.

Overall, compared with patients without influenza infection or vaccination (n=38,353), patients who contracted influenza who were not vaccinated (n=1369) had a significantly higher risk of developing AF after adjusting for baseline differences. AF risk was lower in patients who received the vaccine and did not contract influenza (n=16452), and in those who received the vaccination but still contracted the infection, the risk was similar to that of the control group.

“Influenza infection was significantly associated with the development of AF, with an 18% increase in the risk, which could be reduced through influenza vaccination,” they concluded.

—Michael Potts

Reference:

Chang T, Chao T, Liu C, et al. The association between influenza infection, vaccination and atrial fibrillation: a nationwide case-control study. Heart Rhythm. February 1, 2016 [epub ahead of print]. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.hrthm.2016.01.026.