Experimental confirmation of DEGs common to WB-DEGs, AF-DEGs and NP-DEGs, PDIA4, FKBP11, ENPP4, SOD2 and ABLIM1 in whole blood. All RT-qPCR experiments were performed as three independent replicates and the average Cq value was used to calculate the ΔCq and ΔΔCq value regarding the internal reference. The relative expression levels are provided as 2−ΔΔCq (n=8). The gene expression levels of PDIA4, FKBP11, ENPP4 and SOD2 were significantly different between the patient group and the control group. *P<0.05. Cq, quantification cycle; SOD2, superoxide dismutase 2; PDIA4, protein disulfide isomerase family A member 4; FKBP11, FKBP prolyl isomerase 11; ENPP4, ectonucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase 4; ABLIM1, actin-binding LIM protein 1; RT-qPCR, reverse transcription-quantitative; P, patient; V, healthy volunteer.