title: The Association of Serum Galectin-3 Levels with Atrial Electrical and Structural Remodeling.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Left atrial (LA) interstitial fibrosis is known to have a role in the initiation and maintenance of atrial fibrillation (AF). The role of galectin-3 in the pathogenesis of cardiac fibrosis has been demonstrated in previous studies. We aimed to determine whether serum galectin-3 level is associated with markers of atrial remodeling, including the extent of LA fibrosis detected by delayed enhancement magnetic resonance imaging (DE-MRI) and atrial electromechanical delay (AEMD) in paroxysmal AF patients with preserved left ventricular (LV) functions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-three patients (58 [28-74] years, 51.5% male) with paroxysmal AF who underwent DE-MRI prior to cryoballoon-based AF ablation were included in the study. Serum galectin-3 levels were measured with ELISA. LA volume index (B ± SE: 0.424 ± 0.504, 95% CI: 0.560-2.627, P = 0.004) and serum galectin-3 levels (B ± SE: 0.549 ± 7.745, 95% CI: 16.874-47.550, P < 0.001) were found to be independently correlated with extent of LA fibrosis detected with DE-MRI in paroxysmal AF patients with preserved LV function. Correlation analysis between AEMD parameters and baseline characteristics showed that galectin-3 was significantly correlated with intra-left (ρ = 0.432, P = 0.012) and inter-AEMD (ρ = 0.395, P = 0.023). Duration of AF, LAD, and extent of LA fibrosis were also found to be significantly correlated with AEMD parameters.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is a hypothesis-generating study pointing out that serum galectin-3 level is significantly associated with atrial remodeling in paroxysmal AF patients with preserved LV function. Further studies are necessary to provide exact pathophysiological mechanisms.
authors: Department of Cardiology, Hakkari State Hospital, Hakkari, Turkey.
authors: Muhammed U
authors: MU
authors: Yalcin
authors: Department of Cardiology, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
authors: Kadri M
authors: KM
authors: Gurses
authors: Department of Cardiology, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
authors: Duygu
authors: D
authors: Kocyigit
authors: Department of Basic Oncology, Hacettepe University Cancer Institute, Ankara, Turkey.
authors: Hande
authors: H
authors: Canpinar
authors: Department of Cardiology, Turkiye Yuksek Ihtisas Research and Traning Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors: Ugur
authors: U
authors: Canpolat
authors: Department of Cardiology, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
authors: Banu
authors: B
authors: Evranos
authors: Department of Cardiology, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
authors: Hikmet
authors: H
authors: Yorgun
authors: Department of Cardiology, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
authors: Mehmet L
authors: ML
authors: Sahiner
authors: Department of Cardiology, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
authors: Ergun B
authors: EB
authors: Kaya
authors: Department of Radiology, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
authors: Tuncay
authors: T
authors: Hazirolan
authors: Department of Cardiology, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
authors: Lale
authors: L
authors: Tokgozoglu
authors: Department of Cardiology, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
authors: Mehmet A
authors: MA
authors: Oto
authors: Department of Cardiology, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
authors: Necla
authors: N
authors: Ozer
authors: Department of Basic Oncology, Hacettepe University Cancer Institute, Ankara, Turkey.
authors: Dicle
authors: D
authors: Guc
authors: Department of Cardiology, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
authors: Kudret
authors: K
authors: Aytemir
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000097:blood* / Q000628:therapy; D064752:Atrial Remodeling / Q000502:physiology*; D021721:Balloon Occlusion; D017679:Cryotherapy; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005355:Fibrosis; D037502:Galectin 3 / Q000097:blood*; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D037502:Galectin 3
keywords: atrial electromechanical delay; atrial fibrillation; atrial fibrosis; delayed-enhancement magnetic resonance imaging; galectin-3; remodeling