Research report: Prevalence and factors associated with atrial fibrillation

A hospital-based study in western Uganda reports atrial fibrillation (AF) is relatively common among adults with type 2 diabetes. Researchers screening patients at Hoima Regional Referral Hospital found 28 AF cases among 355 adults with type 2 diabetes, for a prevalence of 7.9% with a 95% confidence interval of 5.4% to 10.7%. The authors say this is the first AF prevalence dataset reported from Uganda, where routine ECG screening of diabetes patients is rarely done. The cross-sectional survey ran April to July 2025 and used interviews, clinical exams, HbA1c testing, and resting 12-lead ECGs; critically ill patients, people on anti-arrhythmics, and known AF cases were excluded.