Search results for "Atrial Fibrillation"

Soluble Platelet Release Factors as Biomarkers for Cardiovascular Disease

2021

Platelets are the main players in thrombotic diseases, where activated platelets not only mediate thrombus formation but also are involved in multiple interactions with vascular cells, inflammatory components, and the coagulation system. Although in vitro reactivity of platelets provides information on the function of circulating platelets, it is not a full reflection of the in vivo activation state, which may be relevant for thrombotic risk assessment in various disease conditions. Therefore, studying release markers of activated platelets in plasma is of interest. While this type of study has been done for decades, there are several new discoveries that highlight the need for a critical a…

Atrial fibrillation and cognitive disorders: An overview on possible correlation

2020

Atrial Fibrillation is the most common cardiac arrhythmia affecting people of all ages, principally the elderly. Cognitive decline and dementia are also prevalent diseases in elderly. The scientific community always showed interest in the possible association between these two pathological entities, both implicating social and economic burden. This has been confirmed by several longitudinal population-based studies. Some studies also revealed that the association between atrial fibrillation and dementia may be not related to history of stroke. Therefore, other pathophysiological mechanisms are likely implicated, so far unclear or undefined. The aim of the present review is to analyse the po…

Muscarinic type-1 receptors contribute to I-K,I-ACh in human atrial cardiomyocytes and are upregulated in patients with chronic atrial fibrillation

2018

Background: Basal and acetylcholine-gated inward-rectifier K+-currents (I-K1 and I-K,I-ACh, respectively) are altered in atrial fibrillation (AF). G(i)-protein-coupled muscarinic (M) receptors type-2 are considered the predominant receptors activating I-K,I-ACh. Although a role for G(q)-coupled non-M-2-receptor subtypes has been suggested, the precise regulation of I-K,I-ACh by multiple M-receptor subtypes in the human atrium is unknown. Here, we investigated M-1-receptor-mediated I-K,I-ACh regulation and its remodeling in chronic AF (cAF). Methods and results: M-1-receptor mRNA and protein abundance were increased in atrial cardiomyocyte fractions and atrial homogenates from cAF patients, …

2019

Sinus node dysfunction (SND) and atrial fibrillation (AF) often coexist; however, the molecular mechanisms linking both conditions remain elusive. Mutations in the homeobox-containing SHOX2 gene have been recently associated with early-onset and familial AF. Shox2 is a key regulator of sinus node development, and its deficiency leads to bradycardia, as demonstrated in animal models. To provide an extended SHOX2 gene analysis in patients with distinct arrhythmias, we investigated SHOX2 as a susceptibility gene for SND and AF by screening 98 SND patients and 450 individuals with AF. The functional relevance of the novel mutations was investigated in vivo and in vitro, together with the previo…

Metabolomics of the tryptophan-kynurenine degradation pathway and risk of atrial fibrillation and heart failure: potential modification effect of Med…

2021

BACKGROUND: The tryptophan–kynurenine pathway is linked to inflammation. We hypothesize that metabolites implicated in this pathway may be associated with the risk of heart failure (HF) or atrial fibrillation (AF) in a population at high risk of cardiovascular disease. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to prospectively analyze the associations of kynurenine-related metabolites with the risk of HF and AF and to analyze a potential effect modification by the randomized interventions of the PREDIMED (Prevención con Dieta Mediterránea) trial with Mediterranean diet (MedDiet). METHODS: Two case–control studies nested within the PREDIMED trial were designed. We selected 324 incident HF cases and 502 incident …

Software-based analysis of 1-hour Holter ECG to select for prolonged ECG monitoring after stroke.

2020

Abstract Objective Identification of ischemic stroke patients at high risk for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (pAF) during 72 hours Holter ECG might be useful to individualize the allocation of prolonged ECG monitoring times, currently not routinely applied in clinical practice. Methods In a prospective multicenter study, the first analysable hour of raw ECG data from prolonged 72 hours Holter ECG monitoring in 1031 patients with acute ischemic stroke/TIA presenting in sinus rhythm was classified by an automated software (AA) into “no risk of AF” or “risk of AF” and compared to clinical variables to predict AF during 72 hours Holter‐ECG. Results pAF was diagnosed in 54 patients (5.2%; mean …

Determinants of the Quality of Warfarin Control after Venous Thromboembolism and Validation of the SAMe-TT2-R2 Score: An Analysis of Hokusai-VTE.

2019

Background Time in therapeutic range (TTR) measures the quality of vitamin K antagonist (VKA) anticoagulation. In patients with atrial fibrillation, the dichotomized SAMe-TT2-R2 score (≥2 vs. < 2 points) can predict if adequate TTR is unlikely to be achieved. Aims We validated the SAMe-TT2-R2 score in patients with venous thromboembolism (VTE) randomized to the warfarin arm of the Hokusai-VTE trial. Patients and Methods A total of 3,874 patients were included in the primary analysis (day 31–180 from randomization). The efficacy and safety outcomes were symptomatic recurrent VTE and major or clinically relevant non-major bleeding. Results The rates of recurrent VTE and bleeding events we…

Lipid levels, atrial fibrillation and the impact of age:Results from the LIPIDOGRAM2015 study

2020

Background and aims: An inverse relationship between lipid levels and atrial fibrillation (AF) has been suggested, but whether the association is upheld for all age groups remains unclear. The aim of the study was to examine associations between lipid levels and AF by age groups in a nationwide study in Poland. Methods: Multivariate Poisson regression models were used to estimate prevalence ratios (PRs) for AF by lipid levels. Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), non-HDL-C and LDL-C/HDL-C ratios were grouped into quartiles. Results: Of the 13,724 participants, 5.2% (n = 708) had AF. People with…

Atherothrombosis and Thromboembolism: Position Paper from the Second Maastricht Consensus Conference on Thrombosis

2018

AbstractAtherothrombosis is a leading cause of cardiovascular mortality and long-term morbidity. Platelets and coagulation proteases, interacting with circulating cells and in different vascular beds, modify several complex pathologies including atherosclerosis. In the second Maastricht Consensus Conference on Thrombosis, this theme was addressed by diverse scientists from bench to bedside. All presentations were discussed with audience members and the results of these discussions were incorporated in the final document that presents a state-of-the-art reflection of expert opinions and consensus recommendations regarding the following five topics: 1. Risk factors, biomarkers and plaque inst…

2015

Background Atrial fibrillation (AF), whether silent or symptomatic, is a frequent and severe complication of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), an endogenous eNOS inhibitor, is a risk factor for endothelial dysfunction. We addressed the relationship between ADMA plasma levels and AF occurrence in AMI. Methods 273 patients hospitalized for AMI were included. Continuous electrocardiographic monitoring (CEM) ≥48 hours was recorded and ADMA was measured by High Performance Liquid Chromatography on admission blood sample. Results The incidence of silent and symptomatic AF was 39(14%) and 29 (11%), respectively. AF patients were markedly older than patients wit…