Inflammatory activation in an unselected population of subjects with atrial fibrillation: links with structural heart disease, atrial remodeling and recent onset

Previous studies investigated circulating levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) mostly in subjects with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) and lone AF (LAF). We, therefore, aimed to investigate circulating levels of CRP in patients with new onset AF with particular regards to AF duration, even in the presence of structural heart disease (SHD). CRP levels were evaluated in 96 consecutive patients with new onset AF (50 with LAF and 46 with SHD, 41 with paroxysmal AF (PAF) (<7 days) and 55 persistent AF (>7 days). Patients with AF had higher CRP levels than controls (4.8 ± 6.99 vs. 1.59 ± 1.32 mg/L; p < 0.001). AF patients with SHD had higher CRP levels than LAF patients (7.08 ± 9.19 vs. 2.63 ± 2.47 mg/L; p < 0.01) and control subjects (vs. 1.59 ± 1.32 mg/L; p < 0.001): CRP levels in LAF patients were higher than in controls (p < 0.01). CRP levels were significantly increased in subjects with paroxysmal AF (6.67 ± 9.44 mg/L) with respect to those with persistent AF (3.54 ± 4.44 mg/L, p < 0.05) and controls (1.59 ± 1.32 mg/L, p < 0.001 vs. paroxysmal AF, p < 0.01 vs. persistent AF). Differences related to the presence of LAF and SHD remained significant even after multivariable regression analysis. CRP concentrations significantly correlated with left atrial size(r 0.23, p < 0.05). Increased CRP levels are detectable in patients with AF, proportional to atrial remodeling, recent onset of dysrhythmia and SHD.