Serum N-Acetylneuraminic Acid Is Associated with Atrial Fibrillation and Left Atrial Enlargement

PURPOSE: Recent studies have indicated that N-acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac) plays a key role in severe coronary artery diseases, involving RhoA signaling pathway activation, which is critically involved in cardiac fibrosis. There is convincing evidence from many studies that left atrium fibrosis is involved in the pathophysiology of AF. Therefore, we speculated that Neu5Ac may be associated with atrial fibrillation (AF) and involved in the development of AF. This study aims to investigate the clinical relationship between Neu5Ac and AF and left atrial enlargement. METHODS: Forty-five patients with AF (AF group) and forty-five patients with non-AF (control group) matched for age, sex, and hospitalization date were recruited for our study. Plasma concentrations of Neu5Ac from peripheral venous blood were analyzed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The baseline characteristics, plasma level of Neu5Ac, and echocardiographic characteristics were evaluated. RESULTS: The plasma level of Neu5Ac was significantly higher in the AF group than in the control group (107.66 ± 47.50 vs 77.87 ± 39.09 ng/ml; P < 0.05); the left atrial diameters were positively correlated with the plasma Neu5Ac level (R = 0.255; P < 0.05). The plasma Neu5Ac level (R = 0.368; P < 0.05) and the left atrial diameters (R = 0.402; P < 0.05) were positively correlated with AF history times. Neu5Ac (odds ratio 1.018, 95% CI 1.003–1.032; P < 0.05) and the left atrial diameter (odds ratio 1.142, 95% CI 1.020–1.280; P < 0.05) were independent risk factors for AF in multivariate regression analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Serum Neu5Ac is associated with atrial fibrillation, and the mechanism may involve left atrial enlargement.