Atrial Fibrillation Updates and News

DNA damage as a new biomarker for Atrial Fibrillation

Last year, AFIP published an article on the discovery made by the team of Prof. Bianca Brundel (Amsterdam UMC), that atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with DNA damage in the heart. Therefore, a circulating oxidative DNA damage marker 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) may represent a biomarker to stage AF and identify patients at risk for AF recurrence [...]

L-glutamine alters HSP levels and normalises energy status in patients with atrial fibrillation

Treatment strategies for atrial fibrillation (AF) are only moderately effective and do not prevent AF onset and progression. This difficulty of treatment predicts a great need to dissect root causes of AF and to develop novel therapies. Emerging research findings indicate that heat shock proteins (HSP) mitigate AF onset and progression in experimental model systems [...]

Unraveling of genetic causes of atrial fibrillation: from mechanism to treatment

Younger people may experience atrial fibrillation due to a genetic cause. The German-Dutch research team has identified atrial fibrillation families that carry mutations in genes responsible for proteins of the cytoskeleton, the building blocks of heart cells. Recently published findings from the lab of Prof. Bianca Brundel indicate that atrial fibrillation causes DNA damage [...]

Inflammasomes and Proteostasis: Novel Molecular Mechanisms Associated With Atrial Fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation (AF), the most common progressive and age-related cardiac arrhythmia, affects millions of people worldwide. AF is associated with common risk factors, including hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and obesity, and serious complications such as stroke and heart failure. Notably, AF is progressive in nature, and because current treatment options are mainly symptomatic, they have only [...]

Weighing the Effectiveness of Photoplethysmography Signal Analysis in Population Diagnosis of Atrial Fibrillation

Review paper by Miles Henderson, biomedical student at the Amsterdam University College. Photoplethysmography has become an accessible component of smartwatches in recent years. The primary advantage of these devices is that they provide a semi-accurate and continuous estimate of the user’s heart metrics. Similarly, PPG technology has also been explored as a tool for the [...]

Miles Henderson describes PPG technology to detect atrial fibrillation

Cell-free circulating mitochondrial DNA: a potential blood-based marker for atrial fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common progressive cardiac tachyarrhythmia globally. AF is present in 3% of the total population, with a higher prevalence in the elderly, and is associated with serious complications such as stroke, heart failure, impaired cognitive function, and increased mortality. Early recognition of AF is essential to prevent disease progression from [...]

Atrial Fibrillation Finger Printing

On the 18th of April 2020, the international journal Clinical Cardiology has published our manuscript ‘Atrial Fibrillation Fingerprinting; Spotting Bio-Electrical Markers to Early Recognize Atrial Fibrillation by the Use of a Bottom-Up Approach (AFFIP): Rationale and Design’. In this manuscript we describe some of the methods we use to unravel the mechanisms underlying atrial fibrillation. [...]

DNA Damage in Atrial Fibrillation: a Promising Treatment Target?

Atrial Fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia affecting 2-3% of the population in Western countries. AF causes irregular and often rapid heartbeat, as well as an increased risk of stroke, heart failure and mortality. Initially, patients diagnosed with AF experience self-terminating episodes, however, given that AF is a progressive disease, those episodes reoccur [...]

The Genetic Puzzle of Familial Atrial Fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common progressive tachyarrhythmia. In Europe, AF is expected to reach a prevalence of 18 million by 2060. This estimate will increase hospitalization for AF to 4 million and 120 million outpatient visits. Besides being an independent risk factor for mortality, AF is also associated with an increased risk of […]

Innovative Approaches to Treat Atrial Fibrillation: From Bench to Bedside

Guest Editors: Prof. Bianca Brundel AmsterdamUMC and founder of AFIP, and Dr. Xun Ai, Rush University Chicago Atrial fibrillation (AF), the most common progressive cardiac rhythm disorder, is present in 2-3% of the Western population and associated with common risk factors, such as advanced age, hypertension, diabetes and obesity. As AF may result in serious [...]

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