Helicobacter Pylori And Atrial Fibrillation: A Possible Pathogenic Link

1 but also in patients with non-postoperative AF. Atrial histological abnormalities have been shown to be present in lone AF and in 66% of patients the biopsies were compatible with myocarditis. 2 Recently C reactive protein (CRP) concentration, a sensi- tive marker of systemic inflammation, was found to be twice as high in patients with AF as in a control group with no history of atrial arrhythmia. 3 A potential non-cardiovascular disease that predisposes to AF may be chronic gastritis caused by chronic Helicobacter pylori infection. Thus, we hypothesised that H pylori may be involved in the chronic atrial inflammation resulting in AF. This study aimed: (1) to confirm the data previously reported that showed higher concentrations of CRP in patients with AF; and (2) to assess the possible association between H pylori infection and AF in patients without demonstrable structural cardiac disease, by comparing them with a group of normal healthy volunteers.