Increased Circulating Fetuin-A Levels in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation: Are We Really There?

Fetuin-A is a protein almost exclusively secreted by the liver. Circulating fetuin-A levels are elevated in humans with metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance, conditions that are associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Fetuin-A is a natural inhibitor of the insulin-stimulated insulin receptor tyrosine kinase and was shown to induce insulin resistance in rodents.^, Studies in humans have demonstrated that circulating fetuin-A levels are positively associated with fat accumulation in the liver, insulin resistance, and metabolic syndrome. To our knowledge, the potential association between fetuin-A and atrial fibrillation (AF) has not been studied to date. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine circulating fetuin-A levels in AF patients and revealed that higher plasma fetuin-A levels were associated with AF after adjustments for some confounding factors.

Fetuin-A seems to be involved in many normal and pathological processes, such as in response to systemic inflammation, hepatocyte-growth-factor activity and regulation of insulin activity, inhibition of unwanted mineralization, osteogenesis, and bone resorption.

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