TY - JOUR
T1 - The predictive value of cardiac biomarkers in prognosis and risk stratification of patients with atrial fibrillation
AU - Brugts, Jasper J.
AU - Akin, Sakir
AU - Helming, Anne Mijntje
AU - Loonstra, Simone
AU - Van Den Bos, Ewout J.
AU - Kofflard, Marcel J.M.
PY - 2011/9
Y1 - 2011/9
N2 - Purpose of Review: Atrial fibrillation is a significant public health issue considering its high prevalence in the general population, and is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular mortality and morbidity and thrombo-embolic complications.Asymptomatic paroxysms of atrial fibrillation occur frequently in the first stages of the disease but patients present to the doctor at a relatively late stage when the associated complications have already taken place. It is crucial to identify such patients as early as possible in order to start preventive therapy. Clinical diagnostic tests to identify patients prone to atrial fibrillation complications have not yet been developed as the exact mechanism and substrate of subclinical atrial fibrillation are not known. Further research is necessary to understand the pathophysiology of subclinical atrial fibrillation and to identify potential risk markers that determine the development and prognosis of the disease. Recent Findings: Biomarkers have recently been identified which have been shown to be related to the incidence of atrial fibrillation and its prognosis. They reflect inflammation, neurohumoral activation and subclinical heart damage. Summary: New biomarkers may help to understand the mechanisms of subclinical atrial fibrillation and signal the likelihood of disease progression. Such biomarkers, though subject to further validation, may be of value in predicting the prognosis and guiding the treatment of patients with atrial fibrillation. They may enhance the ability of risk scores to guide anticoagulant treatment strategies.
AB - Purpose of Review: Atrial fibrillation is a significant public health issue considering its high prevalence in the general population, and is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular mortality and morbidity and thrombo-embolic complications.Asymptomatic paroxysms of atrial fibrillation occur frequently in the first stages of the disease but patients present to the doctor at a relatively late stage when the associated complications have already taken place. It is crucial to identify such patients as early as possible in order to start preventive therapy. Clinical diagnostic tests to identify patients prone to atrial fibrillation complications have not yet been developed as the exact mechanism and substrate of subclinical atrial fibrillation are not known. Further research is necessary to understand the pathophysiology of subclinical atrial fibrillation and to identify potential risk markers that determine the development and prognosis of the disease. Recent Findings: Biomarkers have recently been identified which have been shown to be related to the incidence of atrial fibrillation and its prognosis. They reflect inflammation, neurohumoral activation and subclinical heart damage. Summary: New biomarkers may help to understand the mechanisms of subclinical atrial fibrillation and signal the likelihood of disease progression. Such biomarkers, though subject to further validation, may be of value in predicting the prognosis and guiding the treatment of patients with atrial fibrillation. They may enhance the ability of risk scores to guide anticoagulant treatment strategies.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=80051792649&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1097/HCO.0b013e3283499ed3
DO - 10.1097/HCO.0b013e3283499ed3
M3 - Review article
C2 - 21765376
AN - SCOPUS:80051792649
SN - 0268-4705
VL - 26
SP - 449
EP - 456
JO - Current Opinion in Cardiology
JF - Current Opinion in Cardiology
IS - 5
ER -