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Several studies have indicated an association between inflammation and the recurrence of
Atrial Fibrillation (AF), especially after ablation, which is a therapeutic option leading to local inflammation.
On the other hand, each AF can lead to another AF, as a general rule. Thus, preventing recurrences
of AF is extremely important for patient outcomes. In this paper, we attempted to review the effect
of medicinal agents with anti-inflammatory properties on the prevention of AF recurrence. There
are several randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and meta-analyses on the prevention of AF recurrence
using agents with anti-inflammatory properties, which include steroids, colchicine, statins, and n-3 fatty
acids (n-3 FA). Clinical trials evaluating the efficacy of anti-inflammatory drugs in preventing the recurrence
of AF led to inconsistent results for corticosteroids, statins and n-3 FAs. These results may be related
to the fact that inflammation is not the only factor responsible for triggering recurrences of AF. For
example, the presence of structural, mechanical and electrical remodeling could potentially be the most
important factors that trigger recurrences of AF but these factors have not been addressed in most of the
reported studies. Therefore, future clinical trials are needed to compare the efficacy of anti-inflammatory
drugs in AF patients with, or without other factors. For colchicine, a potent anti-inflammatory drug,
there are limited studies. However, all the studies investigating colchicine in the context of AF were
consistent and promising, especially when colchicine was used on a short-term basis following ablation
in patients with paroxysmal AF. Therefore, colchicine could be a promising candidate for further clinical
studies involving recurrent AF.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and bleeding risk in anticoagulated patients with atrial fibrillation
