Kiyan Heshmat-Ghahdarijani - Heart Failure Research Center, Cardiovascular Research Institute, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
Shahrzad Jangjoo - Resident, Isfahan Cardiovascular Research Center, Cardiovascular Research Institute, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
Afshin Amirpoor - Cardiac Rehabilitation Research Center, Cardiovascular Research Institute, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
Jamshid Najafian - Isfahan Cardiovascular Research Center, Cardiovascular Research Institute, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
Alireza Khosravi - Hypertension Research Center, Cardiovascular Research Institute, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
Maryam Heidarpour - Isfahan Endocrine and Metabolism Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
Mostafa Hekmat - Heart Failure Research Center, Cardiovascular Research Institute, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
Davood Shafie - Heart Failure Research Center, Cardiovascular Research Institute, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common tachyarrhythmia in patients with cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and may have significant complications such as stroke. The present study aims to evaluate endothelial dysfunction in patients with lone atrial fibrillation (LAF) through flow-mediated dilation (FMD) in the brachial artery, as a non-invasive method for evaluating functional and structural markers of endothelial dysfunction.METHODS: In this case-control study, ۴۳ patients with LAF were selected. ۵۱ age and sex-matched healthy individuals were selected as the control group. The brachial artery diameter of the subjects in both groups was measured through FMD. The obtained data were analyzed by SPSS software.RESULTS: Patients with LAF and healthy subjects did not have any difference in terms of gender, heart rate (HR), and systolic blood pressure (SBP) (P > ۰.۰۵ for all). FMD of the patients with AF was significantly lower (P = ۰.۰۴) than FMD of the healthy controls.CONCLUSION: Our findings showed that LAF was associated with systemic endothelial dysfunction. AF plays an important and independent role in reducing FMD. 

Atrial Fibrillation, Arrhythmia, Dysfunction