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Research Progress of Myocardial Fibrosis and Atrial Fibrillation
Guangling Li1, Jing Yang2, Demei Zhang1
1Department of Cardiology, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China.
Insights
Myocardial fibrosis (MF) is a key factor in atrial fibrillation (AF), a common arrhythmia linked to aging and diseases like diabetes. This review explores MF evaluation and anti-fibrosis treatments for AF.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Biomedical Science
Background:
- Atrial fibrillation (AF) incidence is rising due to aging populations and comorbidities like hypertension and diabetes mellitus (DM).
- AF is a prevalent arrhythmia causing significant morbidity and mortality via heart failure (HF) and ischemic stroke (IS).
- Myocardial fibrosis (MF) is recognized as a critical substrate for AF development and maintenance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the pathogenesis of myocardial fibrosis (MF).
- To evaluate current serological and imaging methods for MF assessment.
- To discuss anti-fibrosis treatments and identify challenges in MF and AF management.
Main Methods:
- Literature review focusing on MF pathogenesis, diagnostic methods, and therapeutic strategies.
- Analysis of existing studies on serological markers and imaging techniques for MF.
- Discussion of current challenges and future directions in MF and AF research.
Main Results:
- Myocardial biopsy, while definitive, is invasive and rarely used clinically for MF evaluation.
- Serological markers for MF show controversial accuracy.
- Imaging modalities offer non-invasive alternatives but require further validation.
Conclusions:
- Accurate and non-invasive evaluation of myocardial fibrosis (MF) is crucial for managing atrial fibrillation (AF).
- Further research is needed to improve the accuracy of serological and imaging biomarkers for MF.
- Development of effective anti-fibrosis therapies holds promise for improving AF outcomes.
Abstract:
With the aging population and the increasing incidence of basic illnesses such as hypertension and diabetes (DM), the incidence of atrial fibrillation (AF) has increased significantly. AF is the most common arrhythmia in clinical practice, which can cause heart failure (HF) and ischemic stroke (IS), increasing disability and mortality. Current studies point out that myocardial fibrosis (MF) is one of the most critical substrates for the occurrence and maintenance of AF. Although myocardial biopsy is the gold standard for evaluating MF, it is rarely used in clinical practice because it is an invasive procedure. In addition, serological indicators and imaging methods have also been used to evaluate MF. Nevertheless, the accuracy of serological markers in evaluating MF is controversial. This review focuses on the pathogenesis of MF, serological evaluation, imaging evaluation, and anti-fibrosis treatment to discuss the existing problems and provide new ideas for MF and AF evaluation and treatment.
