There is a link between mutations of white blood cells and cardiac arrhythmias. Flemish Art Schuermans discovered this in collaboration with scientists from Harvard Medical School and the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT. The 21-year-old medical student is the son of N-VA politician Frieda Gijbels. The research opens the way to possible new treatments for heart rhythm disorders.
About 5 percent of all middle-aged adults suffer from cardiac arrhythmias. The percentage increases exponentially as people get older. A heart rhythm disorder can manifest itself in palpitations or a trembling feeling in the chest and in the worst cases can lead to cardiac arrest.
Genetic database
From previous studies, researchers already knew that a certain blood cell disorder – clonal hematopoiesis of undetermined potential (CHIP) – showed links to certain cardiovascular diseases, such as strokes or heart failure. However, this link had not yet been investigated for cardiac arrhythmias.
For their research, the scientists delved into the UK Biobank, a (genetic) database with data on more than 500,000 people. The researchers looked for associations between mutations in white blood cells that people are not born with, but that emerge as they get older.
“Further research needed”
The statistical analysis showed that those who had a mutation were 11 percent more likely to also have a heart rhythm disorder. A 30 percent higher risk was registered for cardiac arrests. When looking at certain individual mutations, the researchers even found that the risk of cardiac arrhythmias was two or three times more likely.
“We cannot deduce from our research whether there is a causal relationship and whether the mutations are the cause of the cardiac arrhythmias,” says Schuermans. “Further research is needed for this. But it is certain that we do see a link between the mutations and cardiac arrhythmias.”
Mouse models
“CHIP is therefore a possible risk factor for cardiac arrhythmias,” Schuermans continues. “Treating CHIP could therefore potentially also be a new type of treatment for cardiac arrhythmias or a method to avoid the disorder.”
In the meantime, scientists are using mouse models to see how the mutations are linked to inflammation in their bloodstreams. Schuermans himself will also continue to work to determine which specific mutations have which relationships with the cardiac arrhythmias.
Also read: Stabs in the heart: innocent or dangerous? cardiologist tells when you should (not) worry (+)
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