Arrhythmias and Conduction DisturbancesEffects of Persistent Atrial Fibrillation on Serum Galectin-3 Levels
Section snippets
Methods
Seventy-six patients with paroxysmal or persistent AF and preserved LV function and 75 age- and gender-matched control subjects were enrolled in this observational study. AF episodes either lasting >7 days or requiring termination by cardioversion, either with drugs or by direct-current cardioversion, were defined as persistent, whereas AF episodes self-terminating within 7 days were defined as paroxysmal.13 The control group consisted of subjects without histories of any disease who underwent
Results
Seventy-six patients with AF with preserved LV function and 75 age- and gender-matched control subjects were included in the study. Baseline demographic, clinical, laboratory, and echocardiographic parameters of the study population are listed in Table 1. Serum galectin-3 (median 0.6 ng/ml [IQR 0.2 to 1.4] vs 0.5 ng/ml [0.1 to 0.7], p <0.001) and LAVI (mean 29.5 ± 3.5 vs 26.5 ± 2.5 ml/m2, p <0.001) were significantly elevated in patients with AF compared with the control group.
Serum galectin-3
Discussion
In this observational study, we demonstrated that serum galectin-3 was significantly elevated in patients with AF with preserved LV function. Galectin-3 levels were also higher in patients with persistent AF compared with those with paroxysmal AF and were independently correlated with LAVI. This is the first study to investigate this relation.
Electrical, contractile, and structural remodeling are known to be important contributors to the AF substrate,15, 16, 17 and fibrosis is the hallmark of
Disclosures
The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.
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Cited by (63)
Galectin-3 is an independent predictor of postoperative atrial fibrillation and survival after elective cardiac surgery
2022, Heart RhythmCitation Excerpt :The present study extends current knowledge of galectin-3 and AF as well as of the pathogenesis of POAF in general. Galectin-3 levels are known to be elevated in patients with AF compared with control subjects and are particularly high in patients with persistent AF,18 LA enlargement,18 and advanced atrial fibrosis.13 Galectin-3 levels also predict future AF14 as well as the recurrence of AF after catheter ablation19,20 and after electrical cardioversion.21
Research progress on the role of gal-3 in cardio/cerebrovascular diseases
2021, Biomedicine and PharmacotherapyCitation Excerpt :Recently, other studies found that the average value of gal-3 in the serum of patients with AF was significantly higher compared to those with sinus rhythm [23,24]. Further studies also found that levels of gal-3 were positively correlated with the duration of AF and with left atrial diameter [25]. Moreover, serum gal-3 levels were associated with the presence of spontaneous echo contrast (SEC) (P < 0.01) and left atrial thrombus (P = 0.08) [26].
The Atrium and Embolic Stroke: Myopathy Not Atrial Fibrillation as the Requisite Determinant?
2020, JACC: Clinical ElectrophysiologyCitation Excerpt :Similarly, Galectin (Gal)-3 a β-galactoside binding lectin, has also been implicated in cardiac fibrosis through its role in recruitment of macrophages and fibroblasts. Gal-3 is an independent predictor of AF, conversely an increased LA volume index was independently predictive of Gal-3 (92). Both TGF-β1 and Gal-3 are independently associated with LA fibrosis, and delayed enhancement CMR in patients with AF appear to support these findings (93).
The role of galectin-3 in atrial fibrillation
2023, Journal of Molecular MedicineThe Role of Galectin-3 in Heart Failure—The Diagnostic, Prognostic and Therapeutic Potential—Where Do We Stand?
2023, International Journal of Molecular Sciences
This project was funded by Hacettepe University Scientific Research Projects Coordination Unit (grant number 1993).
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