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Catheter Ablation in Combination With Left Atrial Appendage Closure for Atrial Fibrillation
Published on: February 26, 2013
Cardiac biomarkers are associated with an increased risk of stroke and death in patients with atrial fibrillation: a
Ziad Hijazi1, Jonas Oldgren, Ulrika Andersson
1Uppsala Clinical Research Center, Dag Hammarskjölds väg 14B, Uppsala, Sweden. Ziad.hijazi@ucr.uu.se
Circulation
|March 1, 2012
Summary
Elevated cardiac biomarkers, troponin I and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), are common in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients. These biomarkers independently predict higher risks of stroke and mortality, improving risk assessment.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Biomarker Research
- Atrial Fibrillation Management
Background:
- Cardiac biomarkers like troponin I and NT-proBNP are established predictors of adverse outcomes.
- Their prevalence and prognostic value in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients require further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the prevalence of elevated troponin I and NT-proBNP in AF patients.
- To assess the association of these biomarkers with cardiovascular events within the RE-LY trial.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of troponin I and NT-proBNP levels at randomization in 6189 AF patients from the RE-LY trial.
- Cox proportional hazards models were used, adjusting for cardiovascular risk factors and risk scores.
- Patients were stratified by biomarker concentrations and quartiles.
Main Results:
- Elevated troponin I and NT-proBNP were common in AF patients.
- Both biomarkers independently correlated with increased rates of stroke and vascular mortality.
- Biomarkers improved the prediction of thromboembolic events (C-statistic increased from 0.68 to 0.72).
Conclusions:
- Elevations in troponin I and NT-proBNP are frequent in AF.
- These biomarkers offer independent prognostic information for stroke and mortality risk.
- Cardiac biomarkers enhance risk prediction models for AF patients beyond existing clinical variables.
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