Abstract 9922: Pentraxin 3 is a Local Inflammatory Marker in Atrial Fibrillation

Abstract

Objectives: Increasing evidence indicates that inflammation contributes to the pathogenesis of atrial fibrillation (AF), but their role remains poorly defined. Pentraxin 3 (PTX3), which has C-terminal sequence homology with the classic pentraxin C-reactive protein (CRP), is produced abundantly from local inflammatory lesion while CRP is mainly produced in the liver. In this study, we investigated whether the local level of PTX3 might be a sensitive marker for the local inflammation of AF. Methods: Sampling of blood in periphery and left atrial appendage (LAA) was performed in 18 patients with AF undergoing pulmonary vein isolation and 10 control subjects with atrial septal defect or WPW syndrome. We measured the concentrations of CRP, interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and PTX3 in plasma of periphery and LAA. Results: Plasma PTX3 concentrations both in periphery and LAA were higher in patients with AF than control subjects. PTX3 concentration was significantly higher in LAA than periphery in patients with AF (3.3±0.7 vs 2.8±0.5 ng/ml, p<0.01) but not in control subjects (2.4±0.5 vs 2.4±0.5 ng/ml, NS). On the other hand, there was no significant difference of CRP, IL-6, and TNF-alpha concentrations in periphery and LAA between AF patients and control subjects. Plasma PTX3 concentartion did not differ between patients with paroxysmal AF and persistent AF. However, there was a significantly positive correlation between plasma concentration of PTX3 in LAA and left atrial diameter (r=0.47, p<0.05). Conclusion: Local production of PTX3 in left atrium might reflect the local inflammation of AF. In addition, PTX3 might be superior to other inflammatory markers which are reported to be elevated in AF.