title: Elevated plasma levels of Th17-related cytokines are associated with increased risk of atrial fibrillation.
abstract: We performed a matched case-control study using a propensity score matching, to assess the association of Th17-related cytokines, including interleukin (IL) 17A (IL-17A), IL-17F, IL-21, IL-22 and IL-6, along with interferon-γ (IFN-γ), IL-10, IL-9, and IL-4, with the risk of AF. A total of 336 patients with AF were matched 1:1 with patients without AF. Plasma levels of cytokines were measured using Luminex xMAP assays. The plasma levels of all examined cytokines were significantly higher in AF patients than controls (P < 0.05), and these cytokines were highly correlated with each other (P < 0.01). A multivariate conditional logistic regression analysis showed that elevated plasma levels of IL-17A, IL-17F, IL-21, IL-22, IFN-γ, IL-10, IL-9 and IL-6 were significantly associated with AF risk independently of potential confounders. There were no significant differences in plasma levels of examined cytokines between paroxysmal and chronic AF patients. IL-17A, IL-21, IL-10 and IL-6 levels were positively correlated with left atrial diameter; IL-17F level was negatively correlated with left ventricle ejection fraction among AF patients (P < 0.05). Elevated plasma levels of Th17-related cytokines were independently associated with increased an risk of AF; hence, Th17-related cytokines may be involved in the pathogenesis of AF.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, College of Preventive Medicine, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, People's Republic of China.|Evidence-based Medicine and Clinical Epidemiology Center, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Na
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, College of Preventive Medicine, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, People's Republic of China.|Evidence-based Medicine and Clinical Epidemiology Center, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, College of Preventive Medicine, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, People's Republic of China.|Evidence-based Medicine and Clinical Epidemiology Center, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xinghua
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Institute of Toxicology, College of Preventive Medicine, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: He
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, College of Preventive Medicine, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, People's Republic of China.|Evidence-based Medicine and Clinical Epidemiology Center, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Long
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, College of Preventive Medicine, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, People's Republic of China.|Evidence-based Medicine and Clinical Epidemiology Center, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, College of Preventive Medicine, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, People's Republic of China.|Evidence-based Medicine and Clinical Epidemiology Center, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Mengxuan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Maoqing
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shu
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Zhiyuan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, College of Preventive Medicine, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, People's Republic of China.|Evidence-based Medicine and Clinical Epidemiology Center, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yafei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhong
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D057216:Propensity Score; D013318:Stroke Volume; D058504:Th17 Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines