C-reactive protein and atrial fibrillation in idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy.
BACKGROUND
Previous studies have found elevated plasma C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients. Most of these studies included AF patients with various heart diseases, but few studies were designed to investigate CRP in idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDCM) patients with AF.


RESULTS
CRP levels in 242 IDCM patients with AF were compared with CRP levels in 280 control IDCM patients. Among control patients, 70 had atrial premature beats or atrial tachycardia and 210 had normal sinus rhythm. CRP was higher in the AF group than in the control group (median, 4.59 versus 2.81 mg/L; p < 0.001). The prevalence of AF in IDCM patients increased as plasma CRP levels increased, and the patients with the highest plasma CRP levels had the highest probability of suffering from AF. Outcome of multivariate logistic regression analysis showed body mass index, AF, and white blood cell count significantly correlated with the plasma CRP levels.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data demonstrated that the plasma CRP level in IDCM patients with AF was higher than in IDCM patients without AF, and an increase in plasma CRP levels was associated with an increased prevalence of AF in IDCM patients. Also, body mass index, AF, and white blood cell count correlate with plasma CRP levels in IDCM patients. These data suggest there is presence of inflammation in IDCM patients with AF.
Dai
Shimo
S
Center for Arrhythmia Diagnosis and Treatment, Cardiovascular Institute and Fuwai Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beilishi Street 167, Xicheng District, Beijing 100037, P.R. China.
Zhang
Shu
S
Guo
Ying hua
Yh
Chu
Jianmin
J
Hua
Wei
W
Wang
Fang zheng
Fz
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D002311:Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000097:blood*; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D015854:Up-Regulation
D015415:Biomarkers; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D002097:C-Reactive Protein