title: Immuno-inflammatory predictors of stroke at follow-up in patients with chronic non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF).
abstract: The aim of the present study was to determine the rates of stroke in patients with chronic NVAF (non-valvular atrial fibrillation), evaluating the relationship between plasma levels of inflammatory variables at admission and the occurrence of stroke during a 3-year follow-up. A total of 373 consecutive patients with chronic NVAF were enrolled. Blood samples were drawn within 72 h of admission, and we evaluated plasma levels of IL (interleukin)-1beta, TNF-alpha (tumour necrosis factor-alpha), IL-6, IL-10, E-selectin, P-selectin, ICAM-1 (intercellular adhesion molecule-1), VCAM-1 (vascular cell adhesion molecule-1) and vWF (von Willebrand Factor). Subsequent patient events (stroke at follow-up) were monitored over a 3 year period. By multivariate analysis, only age, hypertension and high levels of IL-6, TNF-alpha and vWF remained significant predictors of a higher risk of experiencing ischaemic stroke at follow-up. Moreover, plasma values of TNF-alpha, IL-6 and vWF had a significant area under the ROC (receiver operating characteristic) curve. In conclusion, baseline plasma levels of TNF-alpha, IL-6 and vWF are predictors of new-onset ischaemic stroke at follow-up in patients with chronic NVAF.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento Biomedico Di Medicina Interna e Specialistica, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Piazza delle Cliniche no. 2, 90127 Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pinto
authors.forename: Antonino
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tuttolomondo
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Casuccio
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Di Raimondo
authors.forename: Riccardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Di Sciacca
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Arnao
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Licata
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D020521:Stroke / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers