Biomarkers associated with rhythm status after cardioversion in patients with atrial fibrillation

• Published in: Scientific reports Vol. 12; no. 1; pp. 1680 - 11
• Main Authors: Meyre, Pascal B., Aeschbacher, Stefanie, Blum, Steffen, Voellmin, Gian, Kastner, Peter M., Hennings, Elisa, Kaufmann, Beat A., Kühne, Michael, Osswald, Stefan, Conen, David
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 31-01-2022; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 692/4019; 692/4019/592; Action Potentials; Aged; Atrial Fibrillation - blood; Atrial Fibrillation - diagnosis; Atrial Fibrillation - physiopathology; Atrial Fibrillation - therapy; Bilirubin; Bilirubin - blood; Biomarkers; Biomarkers - blood; Bone Morphogenetic Proteins - blood; Brain natriuretic peptide; Cardiac arrhythmia; Cardioversion; Electric Countershock - adverse effects; Female; Fibrillation; Heart Conduction System - physiopathology; Heart Rate; Humanities and Social Sciences; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; multidisciplinary; Natriuretic Peptide, Brain - blood; Patients; Peptide Fragments - blood; Predictive Value of Tests; Prospective Studies; Recovery of Function; Recurrence; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Time Factors; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-05769-9

Biomarkers may help to improve our knowledge about the complex pathophysiology of atrial fibrillation (AF). In this study we sought to identify significant changes in biomarkers and clinical measures in patients with and without AF recurrence after electrical cardioversion. We measured 21 conventional and new biomarkers before and 30 days after electrical cardioversion and assessed the associations of changes in biomarker levels with rhythm status at follow-up. Significant between-group changes were observed for bone morphogenetic protein 10 (BMP10), N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and total bilirubin. Their respective changes were − 10.4%, − 62.0% and − 25.6% in patients with sinus rhythm, and 3.1%, 1.1% and − 9.4% in patients with recurrent AF, for a between-group difference of − 13.5% (95% confidence interval [CI] − 19.3% to − 7.6%; P < 0.001), − 63.1% (95% CI − 76.6% to − 49.6%; P < 0.001) and − 16.3% (95% CI − 27.9% to − 4.7%; P = 0.007). In multivariable models, the reductions of BMP10 and NT-proBNP were significantly associated with follow-up rhythm status (β coefficient per 1 − SD decrease, − 3.85; 95% CI − 6.34 to − 1.35; P = 0.003 for BMP10 and − 5.84; 95% CI − 10.22 to − 1.47; P = 0.009 for NT-proBNP. In conclusion, changes in BMP10 und NT-proBNP levels were independently associated with rhythm status after cardioversion, suggesting that these markers may be dependent on the actual heart rhythm.