Arrhythmias & electrophysiologyCohort study

Genetic Variants Associated With Nonpulmonary Vein Triggers of Atrial Fibrillation

JACC AdvPublished

  • genome-wide association study
  • independent replication cohort
  • isoproterenol provocation

Authors' conclusion

The rs117203318 variant, near genes associated with myocardial fibrosis and cellular stress responses, is associated with AF originating from non-PV foci. These findings suggest that there may be distinct substrates for non-PV AF and this could inform strategies to improve ablation outcomes.

Study context

Population
Patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) undergoing first catheter ablationdiscovery cohort, validated in an independent cohort (n = 371) · discovery cohort (analysed for triggers) 1,010 · replication cohort (analysed for triggers) 346 · independent cohort 371
Participants
1,091 patients
Exposure
Associations between genetic variants and non-PV AF triggers

Main finding

As reported in the abstract

Non-PV AF triggers documented

discovery cohort

126 of 1,010 patients (12.5%)

replication cohort

37 of 346 patients (10.7%)

Observational data: associations, not effects.

Further findings

Association of rs117203318 (T>C) with non-PV AF triggers

ComparisonOR (95% CI)P value
rs117203318 (T>C) · strongest association (discovery)1.98 (1.49–2.62)P = 4.65 × 10-14
rs117203318 (T>C)3.31 (1.40–7.55)P = 0.007
  • Association of rs117203318 (T>C) with non-PV AF triggers: replication; Firth's penalized logistic regression adjusted for age and sex

Intra-atrial conduction times

Non-PV AF associated with significantly longer intra-atrial conduction times
rs117203318 showed no correlation with conduction parameters

Original publication

Genetic Variants Associated With Nonpulmonary Vein Triggers of Atrial Fibrillation. JACC Adv. Published 29 May 2026. doi:10.1016/j.jacadv.2026.102839

Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it