Key result
Plasma AHNAK protein discriminates atrial fibrillation in heart failure patients with an AUC of ~0.90.
Why the study?
The molecular determinants driving fibrotic remodeling and enabling early AF discrimination in HF remain poorly defined.
Population
59 age- and sex-matched patients hospitalized with acute decompensated HF
Comparison
HF patients with AF vs those in sinus rhythm
Design
Case-control study with in vitro, in vivo, and Mendelian randomization analyses
Authors
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AHNAK should not yet guide AF detection in heart failure; leaves open its biomarker utility pending prospective validation.
Case-Control (n=59)
No
Effect estimate: AUC 0.897 (95% CI 0.82-0.97)
Plasma proteomic profiling and machine learning identified AHNAK as a novel, highly discriminative biomarker for atrial fibrillation in patients with heart failure, with preclinical models supporting its protective role against atrial fibrotic remodeling.
Zhu et al. (2026) conducted a case-control in Heart failure with and without atrial fibrillation (n=59). AHNAK protein level vs. Heart failure patients in sinus rhythm was evaluated on Discrimination of atrial fibrillation in heart failure patients (AUC 0.897, 95% CI 0.82-0.97). Plasma AHNAK protein levels served as a highly discriminative biomarker for atrial fibrillation in patients with heart failure, achieving an AUC of 0.897.
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