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Published on: November 8, 2024
[Changes of endothelial function indices and their relation to platelet activation in idiopathic atrial fibrillation]
Rui-bin Fu1, Ping-sheng Wu, Shu-lin Wu
1Department of Cardiology, Guangzhou General Hospital of Guangzhou Command, Guangzhou 510010, China. furb7@sohu.com
Insights
Idiopathic atrial fibrillation (AF) is linked to impaired endothelial function and increased platelet activation. Lower nitric oxide (NOx) levels correlate with higher soluble P-selectin, indicating endothelial dysfunction in AF patients.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Hematology
- Endothelial Biology
Context:
- Idiopathic atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common arrhythmia with unclear underlying mechanisms.
- Endothelial dysfunction and platelet activation are implicated in cardiovascular diseases.
Purpose:
- To investigate endothelial function markers and platelet activation in idiopathic AF patients.
- To explore the relationship between endothelial function indices and platelet activation in AF.
Summary:
- Patients with idiopathic AF exhibited significantly lower plasma nitric oxide (NOx) levels and higher plasma soluble P-selectin (sP-selectin) compared to healthy controls.
- No significant differences were observed in platelet counts or von Willebrand factor (vWF) levels.
- A significant inverse correlation was found between plasma NOx and sP-selectin in idiopathic AF patients.
Impact:
- Findings suggest that atrial fibrillation itself may contribute to endothelial dysfunction and platelet activation.
- Endothelial dysfunction appears to play a role in the activated platelet function observed in AF patients.
- This research highlights potential therapeutic targets for managing AF-related cardiovascular complications.
Objective:
To investigate the changes of endothelial function indices and their relation to platelet activation in patients with idiopathic atrial fibrillation (AF).
Methods:
We studied 61 patients with idiopathic AF with 34 age- and sex-matched healthy persons as control. Platelet counts in the blood were tested, and plasma levels of NOx were analyzed using Griess method. The plasma levels of von Willibrand factor (vWF) and soluble P-selectin (sP-selectin) were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
Results:
Compared to healthy control, the patients with idiopathic AF had significantly lower levels of plasma NOx (18.2-/+7.3 vs 24.3-/+7.8 micromol/L, P=0.049) and higher levels of plasma sP-selectin (25.6-/+6.2 vs 22.4-/+4.8 ng/ml, P=0.007). No significant differences were found in the platelet counts or plasma vWF levels between the two groups. A significant inverse correlation was found between plasma NOx and sP-selectin (r=-0.405, P=0.025) in patients with idiopathic AF.
Conclusion:
AF per se may impair the endothelial function and activate platelet function, suggesting the role of endothelial dysfunction in activated platelet function in AF patients.
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