title: Heart-type fatty acid binding protein in elective cardioversion of atrial fibrillation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We sought to investigate whether heart-type fatty acid binding protein (H-FABP), a new marker of myocardial necrosis, increases in relation to elective cardioversion of atrial fibrillation (AF).
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 25 consecutive patients (61 ± 16 years old, 21 men) admitted to our hospital for elective cardioversion of AF. Peripheral venous samples were drawn immediately before cardioversion, one hour and 24h after the procedure and assayed for H-FABP.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A mean of 309 ± 183 J was used for cardioversion. Successful cardioversion in sinus rhythm was achieved in 18 patients (72%). Serum levels of H-FABP did not change significantly either in relation to the procedure [1385 (256-17,127)pg/mL at baseline, 1125 (290-15,238)pg/mL 1h post and 1045.5 (66-2981)pg/mL 24 h post cardioversion, p=0.37] or to the success of the procedure.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  H-FABP does not significantly change following elective cardioversion for AF and we, therefore, speculate that myocardial necrosis does not occur during cardioversion.
authors.affiliation: 2nd Department of Cardiology, Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center, Athens, Greece. esbarouni@yahoo.gr
authors.forename: Eftihia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sbarouni
authors.forename: Panagiota
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Georgiadou
authors.forename: Antigoni
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chaidaroglou
authors.forename: Dimitris
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Degiannis
authors.forename: Vassilis
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Voudris
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000628:therapy; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D052279:Creatine Kinase, MB Form / Q000097:blood; D004554:Electric Countershock; D000074026:Fatty Acid Binding Protein 3; D050556:Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000378:metabolism; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology; D009336:Necrosis; D019210:Troponin I / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C493408:FABP3 protein, human; D000074026:Fatty Acid Binding Protein 3; D050556:Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins; D019210:Troponin I; D052279:Creatine Kinase, MB Form