BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common cardiac rhythm disorder associated with hemodynamic disruptions and thromboembolic events. While antiarrhythmic drugs are often recommended as the initial treatment, catheter ablation has emerged as a viable alternative. However, the recurrence of AF following ablation remains a challenge, and there is growing interest in exploring inflammatory markers as predictors of recurrence. METHODS: This retrospective, cross-sectional analysis included 249 patients who underwent cryoablation for paroxysmal AF. The relationship between the ‘C-reactive protein (CRP) to albumin ratio (CAR)’ and AF recurrence was examined. RESULTS: Two hundred and forty-nine patients with paroxysmal non-valvular atrial fibrillation were included. They were divided into two groups: those without recurrence (Group 1) and those with recurrence (Group 2). Significant differences were observed in age (57.2 ± 9.9 vs. 62.5 ± 8.4, p = 0.001) and left atrial size (4.0 ± 0.5 vs. 4.2 ± 0.7, p = 0.001) between the two groups. In blood parameters, significant differences were found in CRP (5.2 ± 1.3 vs. 9.4 ± 2.8, p < 0.001) and neutrophil counts (5.1 ± 2.2 vs. 6.7 ± 3.6, p = 0.001). In univariate regression analysis, age (OR: 1.058, CI: 1.024–1.093, p = 0.001), WBC count (OR: 1.201, CI: 1.092–1.322, p < 0.001), neutrophil count (OR: 1.239, CI: 1.114–1.378, p = 0.001), CAR (OR: 1.409, CI: 1.183–1.678, p < 0.001), and left atrial diameter (OR: 0.968, CI: 0.948–0.989, p = 0.002) showed significant associations with AF recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: Inflammation plays a crucial role in the initiation and progression of AF. This study demonstrated that along with age, the CAR can serve as an independent predictor of AF recurrence following cryoablation.

Background: Early risk stratification in acute decompensated heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (ADHF-rEF) remains challenging. The Endothelial Activation and Stress Index (EASIX)—a composite of lactate dehydrogenase, creatinine, and platelet count—reflects endothelial dysfunction, a pathophysiological contributor to early deterioration in ADHF-rEF. This study evaluated the prognostic utility of admission-based EASIX for in-hospital mortality. Methods: In this retrospective single-center cohort, 850 consecutive patients hospitalized with ADHF-rEF between January 2022 and June 2025 were analyzed. EASIX was calculated from first-day laboratory values. Logistic regression, ROC analysis, restricted cubic splines, and Kaplan–Meier survival methods were used to assess the association between EASIX and in-hospital mortality, and to evaluate its incremental value beyond established clinical and laboratory predictors. Results: In-hospital mortality was 12.4%. Higher EASIX values were significantly associated with mortality in both univariable and multivariable models (adjusted OR 1.273; p < 0.001). EASIX demonstrated moderate discriminative performance among evaluated biomarkers (AUC 0.751) and showed a clear dose–response risk gradient, with mortality rising from 1.4% in the lowest tertile to 26.2% in the highest. Incorporating EASIX into clinical and laboratory prediction models yielded substantial continuous net reclassification improvement (0.59 and 0.38, respectively). Survival curves diverged early and remained distinctly separated across EASIX strata. Conclusions: Admission EASIX is an independent predictor of in-hospital mortality in ADHF-rEF and provides complementary prognostic information beyond conventional models. This is the first study to demonstrate the prognostic value of EASIX in the ADHF-rEF setting, supporting its potential utility as an accessible endothelial stress biomarker for early risk stratification.

This study aimed to explore the potential association between the triglyceride–glucose index (TyG) and the atherogenic index of plasma (AIP)—both considered surrogate markers for atherosclerosis—and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) in patients diagnosed with chronic coronary syndrome (CCS). We conducted a retrospective analysis, encompassing 715 consecutive patients with intermediate CCS risk, who presented at the outpatient clinic between June 2020 and August 2022. MACEs included non-fatal myocardial infarction, hospitalization for heart failure, cerebrovascular events, non-cardiac mortality, and cardiac mortality. The primary outcome was the composite occurrence of MACEs during the follow-up period. For time-to-event analysis of the primary outcome, we employed Kaplan–Meier plots and Cox proportional hazard models. The median age of the overall study population was 55 years, with a median follow-up duration of 17 months. Multivariate Cox regression analysis identified age, hypertension, Coronary Artery Disease–Reporting and Data System score, and TyG index as independent predictors of the primary outcome. Notably, individuals with high TyG levels exhibited a significantly higher primary outcome rate compared to those with low TyG levels (18.7% vs. 3.8%, p < 0.001). Similarly, patients with elevated TyG values demonstrated statistically higher rates of cerebrovascular events, hospitalizations for heart failure, non-fatal myocardial infarctions, non-cardiac mortality, and cardiac mortality. These findings suggest that TyG may serve as a predictive marker for adverse cardiovascular outcomes in patients with CCS.