Caffeine and risk of atrial fibrillation or flutter: the Danish Diet, Cancer, and Health Study

Abstract

Background: It is not known whether the consumption of caffeine is associated with excess risk of atrial fibrillation.

Objective: We evaluated the risk of atrial fibrillation or flutter in association with daily consumption of caffeine from coffee, tea, cola, cocoa, and chocolate.

Design: We prospectively examined the association between the amount of caffeine consumed per day and the risk of atrial fibrillation or flutter among 47 949 participants (x age: 56 y) in the Danish Diet, Cancer, and Health Study. Subjects were followed in the Danish National Registry of Patients and in the Danish Civil Registration System. The consumption of caffeine was analyzed by quintiles with Cox proportional-hazard models.

Results: During follow-up (x: 5.7 y), atrial fibrillation or flutter developed in 555 subjects (373 men and 182 women). When the lowest quintile of caffeine consumption was used as a reference, the adjusted hazard ratios (95% CIs) in quintiles 2, 3, 4, and 5 were 1.12 (0.87, 1.44), 0.85 (0.65, 1.12), 0.92 (0.71, 1.20), and 0.91 (0.70, 1.19), respectively.

Conclusion: Consumption of caffeine was not associated with risk of atrial fibrillation or flutter.