Circulating levels of collagen type I degradation marker depend on the type of atrial fibrillation.

Aims: To investigate the hypothesis that circulating levels of collagen type I degradation or synthesis markers are associated with the presence and pattern of atrial fibrillation (AF).

Methods And Results: We assessed the serum concentrations of amino-terminal propeptide of procollagen type I (PINP) and of carboxy-terminal telopeptide of collagen type I (CITP), indexes of collagen type I synthesis and degradation, respectively, in 98 paroxysmal AF (PAF) patients (65 +/- 14 years, 62 men), in 80 persistent AF (PsAF) patients (73 +/- 8 years, 32 men), in 114 permanent AF (PmAF) patients (73 +/- 10 years, 54 men), and in 180 patients in sinus rhythm (SR) (66 +/- 13 years, 88 men) who represented a control group. Serum CITP levels were higher (P < 0.001) in AF patients [0.41 ng/mL, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.38-0.44] when compared with SR patients (0.29 ng/mL, 95% CI 0.26-0.33) and were significantly different between the three AF pattern groups (P < 0.001). Patients with PAF (0.31 ng/mL, 95% CI 0.26-0.36) had lower CITP levels when compared with patients with PsAF (0.41 ng/mL, 95% CI 0.34-0.47) (P = 0.006), as well as with PmAF patients (0.49 ng/mL 95% CI, 0.43-0.56) (P < 0.001). Levels of CITP tended to be lower (P = 0.219) in PsAF patients when compared with sustained AF patients. No differences were found in PINP levels between AF and SR study groups (P = 0.637) as well as between the three AF pattern groups (P = 0.301).

Conclusion: In the clinical setting, circulating levels of collagen type I degradation marker are associated with both type and duration of AF. Further studies are needed to evaluate the clinical use of serum concentrations of CITP as a potential diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic target in patients with AF.