title: Natriuretic peptides: useful biomarkers in predicting the possibility of restoration and maintenance of sinus rhythm in patients with atrial fibrillation undergoing cardioversion?
abstract: Natriuretic peptides (NPs) have been regarded as of diagnostic and prognostic importance in a variety of clinical conditions including congestive heart failure (CHF). Paroxysmal and persistent atrial fibrillations (AFs) have been reported to be associated with high plasma levels of NPs that decline after restoration of sinus rhythm. Rhythm control of AF largely depends on the duration of the arrhythmia and the presence of underlying structural heart disease that may exert negative effects on the restoration and maintenance of sinus rhythm. AFs associated with structural heart disease or AFs of long duration may also be associated with disproportionately high plasma NP levels probably due to the outstanding increases in myocardial wall stretch, volume and pressure overload leading to significant NP release. Therefore, very high levels of baseline NP levels may be associated with lower rates of successful cardioversion and higher rates of AF recurrence on follow-up. It may be suggested that baseline NP levels may predict the possibility of successful rhythm control, and hence may help determine the appropriate therapeutic strategy (rhythm or rate control) in patients with AF.
authors.affiliation: Cumhuriyet University, Cardiology Department, Sivas, 58100, Turkey. Electronic address: kyalta@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Kenan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yalta
authors.affiliation: Cumhuriyet University, Cardiology Department, Sivas, 58100, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mehmet Birhan
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Yilmaz
authors.affiliation: Cumhuriyet University, Cardiology Department, Sivas, 58100, Turkey.
authors.forename: Okan Onur
authors.initials: OO
authors.lastname: Turgut
authors.affiliation: Cumhuriyet University, Cardiology Department, Sivas, 58100, Turkey.
authors.forename: Izzet
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tandogan
mesh_terms: D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000097:blood* / Q000628:therapy; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D004554:Electric Countershock / Q000379:methods; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D045265:Natriuretic Peptides / Q000097:blood*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D045265:Natriuretic Peptides