title: C-reactive protein and atrial fibrillation. Is inflammation a consequence or a cause of atrial fibrillation?
abstract: To clarify whether inflammation is a cause or consequence of atrial fibrillation (AF), we measured high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) before and after pharmacological cardioversion in 15 patients with paroxysmal AF. Levels of hs-CRP, IL-6, and TNF-alpha after cardioversion were significantly higher than those in controls (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the levels of these indices did not differ significantly even at 24 hours and 2 weeks after cardioversion. These results suggest that inflammation is a causative agent of paroxymal AF.
authors.affiliation: Cardiology, Shinkyo Hospital, Kagoshima, Japan.
authors.forename: Naoyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sata
authors.forename: Naokazu
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hamada
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Horinouchi
authors.forename: Shigeru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Amitani
authors.forename: Takuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamashita
authors.forename: Yukinori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Moriyama
authors.forename: Kenkichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Miyahara
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D004554:Electric Countershock; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D002097:C-Reactive Protein