Serum Amyloid A and C-Reactive Protein Independently Predict the Recurrences of Atrial Fibrillation After Cardioversion in Patients With Preserved Left Ventricular Function

• Published in: Canadian journal of cardiology 2012-09, Vol.28 (5), p.537-541
• Main Authors: Barassi, Alessandra, MD, PhD, Pezzilli, Raffaele, MD, Morselli-Labate, Antonio M., PhD, Lombardi, Federico, MD, PhD, Belletti, Sebastiano, MD, Dogliotti, Giada, PhD, Corsi, Massimiliano M., MD, PhD, Merlini, Giampaolo, MD, PhD, Melzi d'Eril, Gian Vico, MD, PhD
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; Analysis of Variance; Atrial Fibrillation - blood; Atrial Fibrillation - diagnosis; Atrial Fibrillation - mortality; Atrial Fibrillation - therapy; C-Reactive Protein - metabolism; Cardiovascular; Cohort Studies; Confidence Intervals; Electric Countershock - adverse effects; Electric Countershock - methods; Electrocardiography; Female; Humans; Inflammation Mediators - blood; Logistic Models; Male; Middle Aged; Multivariate Analysis; Natriuretic Peptide, Brain - blood; Odds Ratio; Peptide Fragments - blood; Predictive Value of Tests; Prognosis; Prospective Studies; Recurrence; Risk Assessment; Sensitivity and Specificity; Serum Amyloid A Protein - metabolism; Severity of Illness Index; Survival Rate; Ventricular Function, Left - physiology
• ISSN: 0828-282X; 1916-7075
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cjca.2012.02.014

Abstract Background Subclinical inflammation and atrial stretch have been recognized as important contributors to atrial fibrillation (AF) onset and perpetuation. The aim of the study was to compare the predictive role of serum inflammatory markers (serum amyloid A [SAA], and C-reactive protein [CRP]) and N-terminal pro brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) an indice of atrial strain in relation to subacute arrhythmic recurrence rate in patients with persistent AF and normal left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). Methods We studied 57 patients with a mean LVEF of 58.7 ± 6%. NT-proBNP, SAA and CRP levels were determined few hours before electrical cardioversion and 3 weeks after cardioversion. Results Subacute AF recurrences were documented in 19 (33 %) patients. Whereas NT-proBNP levels did not predict arrhythmic outcome, higher SAA (> 6.16-6.19 mg/L) and CRP levels (> 2.99-3.10 mg/L) were significantly associated with AF recurrences (odds ratio [OR], 5.39; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.59-18.26; P = 0.007 and OR, 14.93; 95% CI, 3.90-57.19; P < 0.001). Both SAA (OR, 18.29; 95% CI, 2.07-161.46; P = 0.009) and high sensitivity CRP (OR, 42.03; 95% CI, 4.83-365.45; P = 0.001) through the multivariate logistic regression analysis show an independent role in predicting the AF recurrence with a sensitivity of 100% (38/38) and a specificity of 52.6% (10/19). Conclusions The present study demonstrates that in patients with persistent AF and preserved LVEF, SAA and CRP levels are independent predictors of AF subacute recurrence rate, whereas NT-proBNP, not associated with arrhythmic outcome, reflects the hemodynamic alterations secondary to arrhythmia presence. The simultaneous determination of SAA and high sensitivity CRP has a very high sensitivity (100%) in predicting the AF recurrence.