RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is an arrhythmia that involves structural and electrophysiological abnormalities. Many of the AF-related clinical conditions are associated with an increase in inflammatory and oxidative factors. Haptoglobin (Hp) is an acute phase protein whose biological role is to promote clearance of free hemoglobin (Hb). In addition, for being considered an inflammatory marker, Hp represents a protective mechanism against the oxidative effects of Hb. The Hp1-Hp2 polymorphism at Hp locus can lead to three phenotypes related to structural and functional differences in the protein. The objective of this study were to evaluate Hp levels and Hp1-Hp2 polymorphism at Hp locus in patients with AF compared to a control group. METHODS AND RESULTS: This study included 65 patients with AF and 54 individuals without the arrhythmia. Biochemical parameters were determined using Vitros system, plasma levels of Hp were measured in serum samples by using ELISA method and polymorphisms were verified by PCR technique. Plasma Hp levels, as well as allelic and genotypic frequency, were not associated with AF. The levels of Hp also did not differ among the genotypes according to the applied models. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that Hp levels and Hp1-Hp2 polymorphism are not associated to AF.