‘Biomarkers’ could offer clue to heart condition

RESEARCHERS at the University of Birmingham have found two biomarkers that could be used to identify a heart condition known as atrial fibrillation in patients who have three ‘clinical risks’.

Atrial fibrillation is the most common heart rhythm disturbance, affecting around 1.6 million people in the UK.

Those with it may notice heart palpitations but sometimes it does not cause any symptoms and a person may not be aware their heart rate is irregular.

Now city scientists have identified patients are more at risk of atrial fibrillation if they have three ‘clinical risks’ – they are older aged, male and have a high body mass index.

These patients, say the scientists, could be screened for atrial fibrillation by testing their blood to see if they have elevated levels of two biomarkers, a hormone secreted by the heart and a protein responsible for phosphate regulation.

The research was carried out by sci- entists from the Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and the Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences at the University of Birmingham’s College of Medical and Dental Sciences.

Principal author Dr Winnie Chua said: “People with atrial fibrillation are much more likely to develop blood clots and suffer from strokes. To avoid strokes it is important for them to take anticoagulant drugs to prevent blood clotting. However, atrial fibrillation is often only diagnosed after a patient has suffered a stroke.

“Therefore it is important patients at risk are screened.”

Co-author Yanish Purmah added: “An electrocardiogram is resourceintensive and burdensome for patients. Therefore it is important the right patients are selected for this type of screening The biomarkers we have identified have the potential to be used in a blood test in community settings such as in GP practices to simplify patient selection for ECG screening.” that