Because baseline ln BNP was significantly greater in patients with the recurrence of AF than those without the recurrence of AF, the study patients were divided into two groups by the median concentration of BNP (groups with lower and higher levels of BNP) and then a probability of remaining free of the recurrence of AF after ablation procedure with a three-month blanking period was evaluated in the two groups. This evidence concerns the gene NPPB and atrial fibrillation.