Clinical Trials

Inclusion Criteria:

• 120 patients with AF (60 persistent AF, 60 paroxysmal AF).
• 60 non-AF controls without prior history of inflammatory or autoimmune diseases.
• 60 patients with Psoriasis (+controls).

Exclusion Criteria:

• Clinically apparent acute infections over the past 4 weeks (e.g. upper respiratory infection).
• Chronic infections (i.e., hepatitis C, chronic bronchitis, sinusitis, asthma, eczema, inflammatory bowel disease, sarcoidosis, amyloidosis, chronic peptic ulcer, tuberculosis, periodontitis, non-healing wounds, dermatitis).
• Recent malignancies (in the past two years).
• Radiation or chemotherapy (in the past two years).
• Chronic kidney disease (≥ stage 2).
• Organ transplantation.
• History of chronic liver disease.
• Major surgery or invasive procedure in the past 6 months.
• Internal prosthesis.
• Receiving immunosuppressive therapy (including prednisone).
• Known rheumatologic diseases (except for the participants with psoriasis recruited as positive controls).
• Females who are known to be pregnant.