Background: Fibrosis in atrial myocardium is a common phenomenon for patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Remodeling of connexins was found accompanying with AF. The aim of the study is to investigate whether it is by causing the remodeling of connexin 43 (Cx43) that the fibrosis of atrial muscle plays an important role during the initiation and maintenance of AF.
Methods: Samples of right atrial appendage were taken from 24 patients with rheumatic valvular disease during surgery. Fibrosis and remodeling of Cx43 was examined by microscopy and ultramicroscopy technique and analyzed by image analyzer. The collagen volume fraction of type I (CVF-I) and the volume fraction of Cx43 (Cx43VF) were studied between AF and sinus rhythm (SR) groups.
Results: (1) Microscopic examination demonstrated that CVF-I significantly increased and Cx43VF decreased in patients with AF compared to those with SR. (2) The CVF-I was negatively correlated with the Cx43VF.
Conclusion: The results suggest that fibrosis and remodeling of Cx43 are involved in the pathophysiologic mechanism of human AF. Fibrosis of atrial muscle may play an important role in the process of AF by means of interfering with remodeling of connexins.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1159/000095501 | DOI Listing |
Liver Int
January 2025
Department of Medicine, University of Verona, Verona, Italy.
Background: Studies have reported an association between metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and an increased risk of developing atrial fibrillation (AF). However, the magnitude of the risk and whether this risk varies with the severity of MASLD remains uncertain.
Methods: In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched three large electronic databases using predefined keywords to identify cohort studies (published up to 30 September 2024) in which MASLD was diagnosed by liver biopsy, imaging methods, International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes, or blood-based scores.
J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol
December 2024
Tulane University School of Medicine, Department of Cardiology, Tulane Research Innovation for Arrhythmia Discovery, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.
Introduction: Catheter ablation of persistent atrial fibrillation yields sub-optimal success rates partly due to the considerable heterogeneity within the patient population. Identifying distinct patient phenotypes based on post-ablation prognosis could improve patient selection for additional therapies and optimize treatment strategies.
Methods: We studied all patients who underwent catheter ablation of persistent atrial fibrillation in the DECAAF II trial.
Cureus
November 2024
Internal Medicine, Hospital de Santa Marta, Unidade Local de Saúde São José, Lisbon, PRT.
Amiodarone, a widely used antiarrhythmic medication, is effective for managing various types of cardiac arrhythmias. However, due to its high lipid solubility and long half-life, amiodarone accumulates in various organs, particularly the lungs. Pulmonary toxicity, while rare (1% to 5% incidence), is among the most serious adverse effects of amiodarone, with interstitial pneumonitis (IP) being the most prevalent form of lung toxicity.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCardiovasc Diabetol
December 2024
Department of Cardiology, The Second Affiliate Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, No.157, Xiwu Road, Xincheng District, Xi'an, 710004, Shaanxi, China.
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most prevalent arrhythmia in clinical practice, and obesity serves as a significant risk factor for its development. The underlying mechanisms of obesity-related AF remain intricate and have yet to be fully elucidated. We have identified FPR2 as a potential hub gene involved in obesity-related AF through comprehensive analysis of four transcriptome datasets from AF patients and one transcriptome dataset from obese individuals, and its expression is up-regulated in both AF and obese individuals.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Interv Card Electrophysiol
December 2024
Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Utah, SLC, UT, USA.
Background: Late gadolinium-enhanced (LGE) MRI has become a widely used technique to non-invasively image the left atrium prior to catheter ablation. However, LGE-MRI images are prone to variable image quality, with quality metrics that do not necessarily correlate to the image's diagnostic quality. In this study, we aimed to define consistent clinically relevant metrics for image and diagnostic quality in 3D LGE-MRI images of the left atrium, have multiple observers assess LGE-MRI image quality to identify key features that measure quality and intra/inter-observer variabilities, and train and test a CNN to assess image quality automatically.
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