Table 3.

Baseline clinical characteristics used as confounders and biomarker concentrations in the derivation dataset (EAST-AFNET 4 biomolecule study) at baseline by randomized group and by baseline rhythm

Group	Early rhythm control		Usual care		P-value
Baseline rhythm	Sinus rhythm	Atrial fibrillation	Sinus rhythm	Atrial fibrillation	Rhythm*
N	452	348	438	348
Women	220 (49%)	135 (39%)	221 (51%)	137 (39%)	<.001
Age, years	70 [65–75]	71 [67–76]	71 [66–75]	72 [66–76]	.035
BMI	28.7 [25.8–31.6]	28.4 [25.5–32.9]	28.4 [25.4–31.4]	29.4 [25.9–33.3]	.022
Blood pressure (diastolic) (mmHg)	80 [72, 87]	80 [76, 90]	80 [71, 89]	80 [76, 90]	<.001
LVEF (%)	60 [57, 65]	59 [50, 64]	60 [59, 65]	60 [51, 64]	<.001
AF type: first episode	172 (38%)	118 (34%)	155 (35%)	115 (33%)
AF type: paroxysmal	235 (52%)	67 (19%)	223 (51%)	65 (19%)	<.001
AF type: persistent or long-standing persistent	45 (10%)	163 (47%)	60 (14%)	168 (48%)	<.001
Biomarker concentrations
NT-proBNP (pg/mL)	228 [121–467]	890 [506–1496]	253 [124–504]	934 [529–1603]	<.001
ANGPT2 (ng/mL)	2.20 [1.65–2.76]	3.39 [2.29–5.14]	2.12 [1.63–3.00]	3.35 [2.31–4.81]	<.001
BMP10 (ng/mL)	2.03 [1.73–2.30]	2.22 [1.96–2.58]	2.01 [1.76–2.29]	2.25 [1.96–2.69]	<.001
FGF23 (pg/mL)	139 [106–194]	178 [128–247]	140 [110–192]	170 [130–243]	.003
ESM1 (ng/mL)	1.97 [1.58–2.44]	2.14 [1.74–2.84]	1.96 [1.57–2.56]	2.15 [1.74–2.78]	.002
GDF15 (pg/mL)	1251 [938–1847]	1478 [1058–2188]	1259 [914–1761]	1585 [1065–2272]	<.001
IGFBP7 (ng/mL)	99.0 [89.3–111.2]	106.8 [93.6–125]	99.2 [87.9–111]	105 [93.8–123]	<.001
IL-6 (pg/mL)	2.22 [1.50–3.58]	3.03 [1.99–4.88]	2.42 [1.58–3.89]	3.02 [1.95–4.59]	.041
FABP3 (ng/mL)	30.2 [25.1–38.1]	34.2 [28.2–42.1]	30.9 [25.6–37.9]	33.3 [27.1–42.6]	.020
D-dimer (µg/mL)	.17 [.08–.32]	.18 [.09–.36]	.15 [.08–.32]	.18 [.09–.4]	.267
TnT (ng/L)	10.1 [7.39–14.5]	12.7 [9–18.8]	10.7 [7.6–15.7]	12.5 [8.73–18.3]	.436
CRP (mg/L)	1.76 [.87–4.29]	2.48 [1.09–5.78]	2.08 [.93–4.52]	2.58 [1.26–5.03]	.130
sCr (µmol/L)	80.0 [69.0–93.7]	84.0 [71.0–97.0]	79.6 [68.1–92.0]	83.9 [71.0–97.2]	.296
CA125 (U/mL)	11.1 [8.01–14.9]	12.3 [8.4–16.9]	10.8 [8.02–15.7]	11.4 [7.84–16.7]	.052

Rhythm at time of blood sampling was included as a fix factor in the analyses of outcome. Distributions are shown as mean and SD for normally distributed values, as median and IQR for non-normal distributed values and biomarkers, and as frequency (percentage) for nominal features. For biomarker concentrations, there were no differences between the randomized groups, but differences between sinus rhythm and AF during the baseline visit.

AF, atrial fibrillation; ERC, early rhythm control; UC, usual care; BMI, body mass index; AF, atrial fibrillation; LVEF, left ventricular ejection fraction; ANGPT2, angiopoietin 2; BMP10, bone morphogenetic protein 10; CA125, cancer antigen 125; CRP, C-reactive protein; D-dimer, ESM1, endothelial specific molecule 1; FABP3, fatty acid binding protein 3; FGF23, fibroblast growth factor 23; GDF15, growth differentiation factor 15; IGFBP7, insulin-like growth factor binding protein 7; IL-6, interleukin-6; NT-proBNP, N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide; TnT, cardiac troponin; sCr, serum creatinine.

^* P-values were calculated in the unimputed, pooled dataset (ERC and UC combined) using mixed logistic regression model with site as random effect, for the biomarkers additionally adjusted for sex, age, body mass index, diastolic blood pressure, left ventricular ejection fraction, and AF type, the clinical features that were associated with outcomes including sinus rhythm in the main EAST-AFNET 4 dataset.⁴