Affiliations: Division of Cardiology and Department of Internal
Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, China | Division of Cardiovascular Surgery, Kaohsiung Chang
Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine,
Kaohsiung, Taiwan, China
Note: [] Corresponding author: Mien-Cheng Chen, MD, Division of
Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial
Hospital, 123 Ta Pei Road, Niao Sung District, Kaohsiung City, 83301, Taiwan,
China. Tel.: +886 7 731 7123 ext. 8300; Fax: +886 7 732 2402; E-mail:
chenmien@ms76.hinet.net
Abstract: In Framingham cohort study, C-reactive protein was not associated
with incident atrial fibrillation (AF) after adjustment for left atrial size.
This study examined whether levels of plasma inflammatory markers would be
significant risk factors for failed maze procedure for AF. This study enrolled
88 patients with mitral valve disease undergoing valve surgery (n=32, sinus
control group) or concomitant maze procedure for persistent atrial fibrillation
(AF) (n=56, AF group). The mean follow-up in the AF group was 55.0 ±
17.5 months. The AF and sinus control groups did not differ in preoperative
levels of C-reactive protein (p=0.636). In the AF group receiving maze
procedure, the sinus conversion (n=37) and non-conversion (n=19) groups did not
significantly differ in preoperative levels of interleukin-6 (p=0.607) and
tumor necrosis factor-α (p=0.379). In multivariate analysis after
adjustment for preoperative plasma inflammatory markers, independent factors
associated with sinus conversion were AF duration (p=0.003), and left atrial
area (p=0.014). In conclusion, plasma inflammatory markers are not associated
with sinus non-conversion by radiofrequency maze procedure.
Keywords: Atrial fibrillation, inflammation, maze procedure, mitral valve surgery
