Inflammation as a risk factor for atrial fibrillation

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Inflammation Research
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Systemic inflammation, indicated by elevated C-reactive protein (CRP), is associated with atrial fibrillation (AF) persistence.
• The predictive value of CRP for AF has not been extensively studied in large population-based cohorts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between CRP levels and the presence of AF.
• To determine if CRP can predict the future development of AF in a large population.

Main Methods:

• Cardiovascular Health Study enrolled 5806 subjects with baseline CRP measurements and cardiovascular assessments.
• Subjects were followed for a mean of 6.9 years, with AF identified through self-report, ECGs, and hospital discharge diagnoses.
• Univariate and multivariate analyses assessed CRP as a predictor of baseline and incident AF.

Main Results:

• At baseline, subjects in the highest CRP quartile had significantly more AF compared to the lowest quartile (7.4% vs 3.7%, adjusted OR 1.8).
• During follow-up, elevated baseline CRP predicted a higher risk of developing future AF (adjusted HR 1.31 for highest vs lowest quartile).
• CRP, treated as a continuous variable, also predicted increased risk for future AF (adjusted HR 1.24 per 1-SD increase).

Conclusions:

• C-reactive protein (CRP) is associated with the current presence of atrial fibrillation (AF).
• Elevated CRP levels serve as a predictor for individuals at increased risk of developing AF in the future.