Arrhythmias & electrophysiologyResearch article
Protein mediators linking autoimmune diseases and incident atrial fibrillation: Insights from the UK Biobank
- UK Biobank data with proteomic profiling (Olink platform); high-dimensional mediation analysis
- Fine-Gray models with non-cardiovascular death as a competing risk
- Two separate proteome-wide association studies
Authors' conclusion
The identification of protein biomarkers that may help elucidate potential pathways between AID and AF provides mechanistic insights into immune-related atrial remodeling and suggests possible therapeutic targets for AF prevention and risk stratification in patients with AIDs.
Study context
- Population
- UK Biobank participants without prevalent AFmedian follow-up 14.4 years, 44,872 with proteomic data · participants with proteomic data 44,872
- Participants
- 419,888 participants
- Comparison
- AID subsets and incident AF; proteins mediating the association
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Incident AF · median 14.4 years
- musculoskeletal
- hazard ratio 1.17; P < 0.001
- vasculitis
- hazard ratio 1.39; P < 0.001
- gastrointestinal
- hazard ratio 1.17; P < 0.001
- rheumatic fever
- hazard ratio 1.46; P < 0.001
- neurologic AID not significantly associated
- P = 0.13
Further findings
Protein mediators (high-dimensional mediation analysis)
- proteins analysed
- 232
- unique mediators identified
- 60
- adrenomedullin, soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor, and insulin-like growth factor binding protein 2 shared across multiple AID groups
- In 44,872 participants with proteomic data
Original publication
Protein mediators linking autoimmune diseases and incident atrial fibrillation: Insights from the UK Biobank. Heart Rhythm. Published 31 July 2026. doi:10.1016/j.hrthm.2026.07.036
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it