A nationwide study in Korea reveals that individuals with metabolic dysfunction–associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) face a significantly elevated risk of developing atrial fibrillation (AF) compared to those without liver disease. Over a median follow-up of 9.6 years involving 206,455 adults, 5,335 developed new-onset AF, with the highest incidence in the MASLD group not consuming alcohol. The findings suggest that metabolic dysfunction is a crucial contributor to AF, potentially more so than alcohol consumption, emphasizing the need for cardiovascular monitoring in MASLD patients.

Source: JAHA