Original Research
INFLAMMATORY MARKERS IN PAROXYSMAL ATRIAL FIBRILLATION AND THE PROTECTIVE ROLE OF RENINANGIOTENSIN-ALDOSTERONE SYSTEM INHIBITORS ŞTEFAN HORIA ROŞIANU1, ADELA-NICOLETA ROŞIANU2, MIHAI ALDICA2, RADU CĂPÂLNEANU1, ANCA DANA BUZOIANU3 Department of Cardiology, Heart Institute “Niculae Stancioiu”, Iuliu Hațieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania 2 Heart Institute “Niculae Stancioiu”, Cluj-Napoca, Romania 3 Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Clinical Pharmacology, Iuliu Hațieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania 1
Abstract Background. Experimental and clinical studies have shown the importance of inflammation in the pathophysiology of atrial fibrillation (AF). The renin-angiotensinaldosterone system (RAAS) may play an important role in the pathogenesis of AF in correlation with the inflammatory process. RAAS inhibition may have important therapeutic value in limiting AF. The aim of this study was the correlation between inflammatory markers and recurrent episodes of AF in patients with known paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, with and without treatment with RAAS inhibitors. Methods and results. We studied 82 patients with paroxysmal AF recorded at “Niculae Stancioiu” Heart Institute Cluj-Napoca, divided into two groups: group A treated with angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB) and group B without this medication. All patients underwent clinical examination, ECG, echocardiography and determination of plasma levels of inflammatory markers represented by high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and interleukin 6 (IL-6). In the group treated with ACE inhibitors/ARBs, AF burden was significantly lower than in patients without treatment. We obtained a strong positive correlation between blood levels of high-sensitivity CRP and those of IL-6 (r=0.64, p
INFLAMMATORY MARKERS IN PAROXYSMAL ATRIAL FIBRILLATION AND THE PROTECTIVE ROLE OF RENINANGIOTENSIN-ALDOSTERONE SYSTEM INHIBITORS ŞTEFAN HORIA ROŞIANU1, ADELA-NICOLETA ROŞIANU2, MIHAI ALDICA2, RADU CĂPÂLNEANU1, ANCA DANA BUZOIANU3 Department of Cardiology, Heart Institute “Niculae Stancioiu”, Iuliu Hațieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania 2 Heart Institute “Niculae Stancioiu”, Cluj-Napoca, Romania 3 Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Clinical Pharmacology, Iuliu Hațieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania 1
Abstract Background. Experimental and clinical studies have shown the importance of inflammation in the pathophysiology of atrial fibrillation (AF). The renin-angiotensinaldosterone system (RAAS) may play an important role in the pathogenesis of AF in correlation with the inflammatory process. RAAS inhibition may have important therapeutic value in limiting AF. The aim of this study was the correlation between inflammatory markers and recurrent episodes of AF in patients with known paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, with and without treatment with RAAS inhibitors. Methods and results. We studied 82 patients with paroxysmal AF recorded at “Niculae Stancioiu” Heart Institute Cluj-Napoca, divided into two groups: group A treated with angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB) and group B without this medication. All patients underwent clinical examination, ECG, echocardiography and determination of plasma levels of inflammatory markers represented by high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and interleukin 6 (IL-6). In the group treated with ACE inhibitors/ARBs, AF burden was significantly lower than in patients without treatment. We obtained a strong positive correlation between blood levels of high-sensitivity CRP and those of IL-6 (r=0.64, p
