title: Effects of persistent atrial fibrillation on serum galectin-3 levels.
abstract: Galectin-3 is known to play an important role in a number of fibrotic conditions, including cardiac fibrosis. Many studies have focused on the association between galectin-3 levels and cardiac fibrosis in heart failure. However, the role of galectin-3 in the pathogenesis of atrial fibrillation (AF) has not been evaluated thoroughly yet. The aim of this study was to determine whether serum galectin-3 levels were elevated in patients with AF and preserved left ventricular function. Seventy-six patients with paroxysmal or persistent AF and preserved left ventricular systolic function and 75 age- and gender-matched control subjects were enrolled in this observational study. Galectin-3 levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Serum galectin-3 (median 0.6 ng/ml [interquartile range 0.2 to 1.4] vs 0.5 ng/ml [interquartile range 0.1 to 0.7], p <0.001) and left atrial volume index (LAVI) (mean 29.5 ± 3.5 vs 26.5 ± 2.5 ml/m(2), p <0.001) were significantly greater in patients with AF compared with the control group. Serum galectin-3 levels were also significantly higher in patients with persistent AF than those with paroxysmal AF (median 0.8 ng/ml [interquartile range 0.4 to 1.4] vs 0.5 ng/ml [interquartile range 0.2 to 0.9], p <0.001). Multivariate regression analysis demonstrated that serum galectin-3 (odds ratio 87.53, 95% confidence interval 6.06 to 1,265.03, p = 0.001) and LAVI (odds ratio 1.38, 95% confidence interval 1.19 to 1.60, p <0.001) were independent predictors of AF. Only LAVI was independently correlated with serum galectin-3 levels in patients with AF in linear regression analysis. In conclusion, serum galectin-3 is significantly elevated and is also significantly correlated with LAVI in patients with AF with preserved left ventricular function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Kadri Murat
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Gurses
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Muhammed Ulvi
authors.initials: MU
authors.lastname: Yalcin
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey. Electronic address: kocyigitduygu@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Duygu
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kocyigit
authors.affiliation: Basic Oncology Department, Cancer Institute, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hande
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Canpinar
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Banu
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Evranos
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hikmet
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yorgun
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mehmet Levent
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Sahiner
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ergun Baris
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Kaya
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Necla
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ozer
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Lale
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tokgozoglu
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mehmet Ali
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Oto
authors.affiliation: Basic Oncology Department, Cancer Institute, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Dicle
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Guc
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Kudret
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Aytemir
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D016280:Atrial Function, Right; D002306:Cardiac Volume; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D037502:Galectin 3 / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left
chemical_list: D037502:Galectin 3