Serum concentration of inflammatory factors in patients with atrial fibrillation and their significance

Objectives To explore the correlation between atrial fibrillation and high sensitive C-reactive protein(hs-CRP),IL-6,TNF-α. Methods Sexty nine patients with atrial fibrillation were divided into three groups:paroxysmal atrial fibrillation group(27 cases), persistent atrial fibrillation group(19 cases),permanent atrial fibrillation group(23 cases)and control group(sinus rhythm,21 cases). The serum hs-CRP,IL-6,TNF-αand left atrial diameter(LAd), ejection fraction(EF)of each group were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) and echocardiography respectively. Results Patients with paroxysmal, persistent and permanent atrial fibrillation had high levels of hs-CRP, IL-6, TNF-α when compared with the healthy subjects. Patients with persistent, and permanent atrial fibrillation had higher levels of hs-CRP, IL-6 and TNF-α, as compared with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. No significant changes of hs-CRP,IL-6,TNF-αlevels were found in the persistent atrial fibrillation and permanent atrial fibrillation. The LAd of paroxysmal, persistent and permanent atrial fibrillation group was significantly higher than that of sinus rhythm group(P0.01). The LAd of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation group was insignificantly greater than that of sinus rhythm group(P0.05). Conclusions Serum hs-CRP, IL-6 and TNF-α in patients with atrial fibrillation significant increase indicating that the inflammatory reaction may promote the occurrence and maintenance of atrial fibrillation.