Relation of C-reactive protein to the first onset and the recurrence rate in lone atrial fibrillation.

The presence of systemic inflammation determined by elevations in high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) has been associated with persistence of atrial fibrillation (AF). The influence of inflammation markers, such as hs-CRP, on the recurrences of lone AF, however, has not been clarified. We tested the hypothesis of whether, in patients with a first paroxysmal episode of lone AF, the hs-CRP levels were elevated, and whether elevated hs-CRP could predict the recurrence rate of lone AF in patients without antiarrhythmic drugs.