From the Cardiovascular Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston.
Circ Res. 2014 Apr 25;114(9):1469-82. doi: 10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.114.302225.
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia and is associated with increased morbidity. As the population ages and the prevalence of AF continues to rise, the socioeconomic consequences of AF will become increasingly burdensome. Although there are well-defined clinical risk factors for AF, a significant heritable component is also recognized. To identify the molecular basis for the heritability of AF, investigators have used a combination of classical Mendelian genetics, candidate gene screening, and genome-wide association studies. However, these avenues have, as yet, failed to define the majority of the heritability of AF. The goal of this review is to describe the results from both candidate gene and genome-wide studies, as well as to outline potential future avenues for creating a more complete understanding of AF genetics. Ultimately, a more comprehensive view of the genetic underpinnings for AF will lead to the identification of novel molecular pathways and improved risk prediction of this complex arrhythmia.
心房颤动（AF）是最常见的心律失常，与发病率增加有关。随着人口老龄化和 AF 的患病率持续上升，AF 的社会经济后果将变得越来越沉重。尽管 AF 有明确的临床危险因素，但也认识到存在显著的遗传成分。为了确定 AF 遗传的分子基础，研究人员结合使用了经典的孟德尔遗传学、候选基因筛选和全基因组关联研究。然而，迄今为止，这些途径尚未确定 AF 遗传的大部分。本综述的目的是描述候选基因和全基因组研究的结果，并概述未来可能的途径，以更全面地了解 AF 的遗传学。最终，对 AF 遗传基础的更全面了解将导致发现新的分子途径，并改善对这种复杂心律失常的风险预测。
