Uric acid-to-albumin ratio as a cardiometabolic marker for predicting adverse outcomes in patients with atrial fibrillation: evidence from two independent cohorts

Introduction Atrial fibrillation (AF) is closely associated with metabolic dysfunction. The uric acid–to–albumin ratio (UAR), integrating oxidative stress, inflammation, and nutritional status, reflect cardiometabolic burden, but evidence linking UAR to AF prognosis remains limited. Methods We analyzed clinical data from 1,908 AF patients at West China Hospital, with external validation from the MIMIC database (n=1,366). Associations were assessed using Kaplan–Meier analyses, restricted cubic splines, and multivariable Cox proportional hazards models. Incremental prognostic value beyond the CHA 2 DS 2 -VASc score was evaluated in both cohorts. Exploratory machine learning and SHAP analyses were employed to assess the variable importance of UAR. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were performed in primary cohort, including additional cardiometabolic adjustment, analyses with cardiac mortality, competing risk models, and longer follow-up. Results Baseline characteristics differed across UAR quartiles, with high UARs associated with substantial burdens of metabolic comorbidities, heart failure, renal dysfunction, and elevated inflammatory and cardiac biomarkers. Mortality was higher in the highest UAR quartile (log-rank P