Arrhythmias & electrophysiologyCohort study
Genome-wide identification of a MINK1 variant associated with asymptomatic paroxysmal atrial fibrillation
- genome-wide association study
- validated in an independent cohort
Authors' conclusion
The MINK1 variant rs143663734 was significantly associated with asymptomatic AF. MINK1, a serine/threonine-protein kinase highly expressed in the central nervous system, may modulate the interoceptive neural processing of cardiac sensations.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) who underwent first-time catheter ablation at Hiroshima University Hospitaldiscovery cohort after genetic quality control, independent validation cohort of 357 patients · discovery cohort 1,052 · independent validation cohort 357
- Participants
- 1,052 patients
- Exposure
- asymptomatic AF compared with symptomatic AF
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Asymptomatic AF prevalence
Asymptomatic AF observed in participants
27.6%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Clinical correlates of asymptomatic AF
- Associated with male sex, higher body mass index, higher congestive heart failure, hypertension, age ≥75 years, diabetes mellitus, and prior stroke/transient ischemic attack score, larger left atrial and left ventricular dimensions, and lower left ventricular ejection fraction
Electrophysiological testing
- Longer maximum sinus node recovery time and impaired atrioventricular nodal conduction in asymptomatic AF
Association of rs143663734 (MINK1) with asymptomatic AF
- Genome-wide association OR
- 3.46
- Genome-wide association P
- P = 2.78 × 10-8
- Replication, allelic model OR
- 2.95
- Replication, allelic model P
- P = 2.5 × 10-3
- Replication, dominant model OR
- 3.13
- Replication, dominant model P
- P = 2.0 × 10-3
- Multivariable analysis OR
- 3.62
- Multivariable analysis P
- P = 5.9 × 10-8
- rs143663734 remained the strongest independent correlate of asymptomatic AF
Original publication
Genome-wide identification of a MINK1 variant associated with asymptomatic paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. Heart Rhythm. Published 20 July 2026. doi:10.1016/j.hrthm.2026.07.022
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it