Baseline characteristics for individuals aged 35, 50, 65 or 80 years between 1996 and 2006
| Baseline age | 35 years | 50 years | 65 years | 80 years |
| Overall, n (%) | 729 989 (33.5) | 720 398 (33.1) | 467 649 (21.5) | 255 821 (11.7) |
| Events AF, n (%) | 6590 (0.9) | 31 363 (4.3) | 63 221 (13.4) | 50 166 (19.6) |
| Male, n (%) | 369 417 (50.6) | 362 399 (50.1) | 224 983 (48.1) | 99 089 (38.7) |
| Women, n (%) | 360 572 (49.4) | 357 999 (49.7) | 242 666 (51.9) | 156 732 (61.3) |
| Education, n (%) | ||||
| Lowest | 227 085 (31.11) | 239 368 (33.2) | 236 526 (50.5) | 123 511 (48.3) |
| Middle | 437 484 (59.9) | 433 607 (60.2) | 170 286 (36.4) | 119 670 (46.8) |
| Highest | 65 420 (8.9) | 47 423 (6.6) | 60 837 (13.0) | 12 603 (4.9) |
| Household income, tertiles (%) | ||||
| Lowest | 243 331 (33.3) | 240 137 (33.3) | 155 884 (33.3) | 85 276 (33.3) |
| Middle | 243 333 (33.3) | 240 132 (33.3) | 155 883 (33.3) | 85 273 (33.3) |
| Highest | 243 325 (33.3) | 240 129 (33.3) | 155 882 (33.3) | 85 272 (33.3) |
| Place of residence (%) | ||||
| Peripheral | 61 423 (8.5) | 70 542 (9.8) | 49 472 (10.6) | 28 571 (11.2) |
| Rural | 195 267 (26.9) | 210 401 (29.3) | 140 917 (30.29) | 74 286 (29.1) |
| Intermediate | 108 588 (14.9) | 114 202 (15.9) | 71 021 (15.2) | 37 620 (14.7) |
| Urban | 360 992 (49.7) | 320 878 (44.8) | 203 848 (43.8) | 114 337 (44.9) |
| Cohabiting status | ||||
| Living alone | 138 013 (18.9) | 141 959 (19.7) | 122 242 (26.14) | 118 384 (46.28) |
| Not living alone | 591 974 (81.09) | 578 432 (80.29) | 345 389 (73.86) | 137 400 (53.7) |
| Comorbidity, n (%) | ||||
| Hypertension | 6862 (0.9) | 44 822 (6.2) | 78 362 (16.7) | 66 592 (26.0) |
| Heart failure | 110 (0.0) | 905 (0.1) | 4218 (0.9) | 8767 (3.4) |
| Valvular heart diseases | 626 (0.1) | 1380 (0.2) | 3085 (0.6) | 4214 (1.6) |
| Ischaemic heart diseases | 1680 (0.2) | 15 101 (2.10) | 34 269 (7.3) | 29 683 (11.6) |
| Peripheral artery disease | 368 (0.0) | 2603 (0.3) | 9155 (1.9) | 9751 (3.8) |
| Congenital heart disease | 606 (0.0) | 319 (0.0) | 180 (0.0) | 59 (0.0) |
| Stroke | 1450 (0.2) | 5496 (0.7) | 12 255 (2.6) | 15 239 (5.9) |
| COPD | 1144 (0.16) | 5635 (0.7) | 14 655 (3.13) | 14 114 (5.5) |
| Renal disease | 2341 (0.32) | 2884 (0.4) | 3506 (0.75) | 2971 (1.16) |
| Alcoholism | 8356 (1.1) | 15 401 (2.1) | 8197 (1.75) | 2074 (0.81) |
| Obesity | 5284 (0.7) | 5908 (0.8) | 4904 (1.0) | 1933 (0.7) |
| Diabetes mellitus | 6306 (0.8) | 15 730 (2.1) | 24 944 (5.3) | 17 769 (6.9) |
| Hyperthyroidism | 3066 (0.4) | 5434 (0.7) | 6000 (1.2) | 5756 (2.2) |
AF, atrial fibrillation; COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.