Circulating long noncoding RNA, GAS5, as a novel biomarker for patients with atrial fibrillation

Abstract

Background: Circulating long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) plays a vital role in clinical disease diagnosis and prognosis. Here, we evaluate the role of a lncRNA, named growth arrest specific 5 (GAS5), in atrial fibrillation (AF). Methods: Expression of GAS5 was measured by qRT-PCR. Diagnostic and prognostic values of GAS5 were assessed by the receiver operating characteristics curve (ROC), Kaplan–Meier (KM) and Cox regression analyses. Results: A total of 173 participants were enrolled in this study. Circulating GAS5 expression was significantly down-regulated in AF patients. This change occurred prior to enlargement of the left atrial volume and was strongly associated with AF progression, which demonstrates the potential use of GAS5 as an early biomarker. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) was 0.858 (95% CI 0.789-0.926, P