Publication Date
9-1-2014
Journal
The Texas Heart Journal
DOI
10.14503/THIJ-13-3466
PMID
25425976
Publication Date(s)
October 2014
Language
English
PMCID
PMC4189345
PubMedCentral® Posted Date
9-1-2014
PubMedCentral® Full Text Version
Post-Print
Published Open-Access
yes
Keywords
Atrial fibrillation/diagnosis/etiology/physiopathology/prevention & control, biological markers/blood, C-reactive protein/analysis/metabolism, disease management, heart conduction system/physiopathology, inflammation/complications/diagnosis/etiology, myocardial revascularization/adverse effects, polymorphism, genetic, primary prevention, risk factors
Copyright
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Abstract
Atrial fibrillation is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality rates. The incompletely understood pathogenesis of this cardiac dysrhythmia makes it difficult to improve approaches to primary and secondary prevention. Evidence has accumulated in regard to a relationship between inflammation and atrial fibrillation. Investigators have correlated the dysrhythmia with myocarditis, pericardiotomy, and C-reactive protein levels, suggesting that inflammation causes atrial fibrillation or participates in its onset and continuation. Conversely, other investigators suggest that atrial fibrillation induces an inflammatory response. In this review, we summarize and critically discuss the nature and clinical role of inflammation and C-reactive protein in atrial fibrillation.