Pre-ablation levels of brain natriuretic peptide are independently associated with the recurrence of atrial fibrillation after radiofrequency catheter ablation in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation

Association between pre-ablation levels of biomarkers of cardiac and endothelial dysfunctions, CHADS2, CHA2DS2-VASc, and APPLE scores and the recurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF) after radiofrequency catheter ablation has not been fully studied. A total of 254 patients with nonvalvular AF were prospectively followed for AF recurrence after a single ablation procedure. During a two-year follow-up period, AF recurred in 65 (25.6%) patients. Patients with AF recurrence had significantly greater baseline ln brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) than those without AF recurrence (P<0.01), whereas there were no significant differences in the levels of biomarkers of endothelial dysfunction and points of scoring systems. In the Cox regression analyses, the baseline ln BNP was significantly independently associated with AF recurrence (adjusted HR=1.286, 95% CI=1.000-1.655, P<0.05). The baseline levels of ln BNP were significantly associated with rhythm at blood collection, age, sex, and left atrial diameter, and left ventricular ejection fraction (P<0.05).The subgroup analysis showed a significant interaction on the risk of AF recurrence between ln BNP, sex difference, and rhythm at blood collection (P for interaction <0.05). In conclusion, the results suggest that the pre-ablation levels of ln BNP are useful to evaluate the risk of AF recurrence after ablation therapy; however, there is a need to be careful while using BNP as a biomarker for the risk of AF recurrence by taking account of the effects of rhythm status at blood collection and sex difference.