Inflammation and the pathogenesis of atrial fibrillation

Inflammation and its associated immune response are involved in the initiation and maintenance of atrial fibrillation (AF)AF can further promote inflammation, which contributes to the clinical phenomenon of 'AF begets AF'Inflammatory pathways contribute to both electrical and structural atrial remodelling and thrombogenesis in patients with AFThe mechanisms and dynamic changes that underlie the inflammatory responses in different clinical scenarios of AF should be determined to enable the development of specific, individualized anti-inflammatory strategiesTherapies that target specific inflammatory cascades might be potential therapeutic strategies for the prevention of AF