Table 1

Age adjusted characteristics of the cohort according to the presence or absence of atrial fibrillation (AF) at baseline

		Men (n=7052)			Women (n=8354)
		AF (n=53)	Rest (n=6999)		AF (n=47)	Rest (n=8307)
Demographic profile
Mean age (years)	57.0	54.1^1-165		56.1	54.4^1-150
Manual social class (%)	74.9	68.9^1-150		56.6	57.1
Deprivation category 5-7 (lowest) (%)	45.5	58.1		66.5	58.5
Cardiovascular risk factors
History of stroke (%)	7.6	1.3^1-150		7.1	1.2^1-165
Possible or definite angina (%)	28.4	31.6		48.7	24.5^1-165
Possible transient cerebral ischaemia (%)	27.9	9.8^1-165		19.8	9.7^1-160
Current or former smoker (%)	79.0	81.2		65.8	54.1
Mean cholesterol (mmol/l)	5.83	5.86		5.82	6.43^1-160
History of diabetes (%)	0	1.3		3.1	1.2
Clinical profile
Mean body mass index (kg/m²)	26.5	25.9		24.4	25.8
Mean systolic blood pressure (mm Hg)	143.1	148.5		151.6	150.2
Mean diastolic blood pressure (mm Hg)	84.1	86.0		89.1	85.1^1-150
Mean cardiothoracic ratio	0.53	0.47^1-165		0.58	0.48^1-165
Mean blood sugar (mmol/l)	5.25	5.15		6.46	5.07^1-150
Mean adjusted FEV₁ (% predicted)	79.0	88.7^1-165		71.2	92.5^1-165
Chronic bronchitis (%)	16.8	5.7^1-160		7.7	4.1
Pathological Q waves on ECG (%)	5.3	3.4^1-150		0	2.0
Myocardial ischaemia on ECG (%)	10.1	5.0^1-165		43.2	6.0^1-165
Left ventricular hypertrophy on ECG (%)	5.3	5.6		21.3	7.0^1-165
LBBB on ECG (%)	11.5	7.7^1-160		44.4	6.8^1-165

For comparison between groups: ttest for continuous variables and χ² test for discrete variables.
Difference between groups:
↵1-150 p < 0.05;
↵1-160 p < 0.01;
↵1-165 p < 0.001.
FEV₁, forced expiratory volume in one second; LBBB, left bundle branch block.