TIMP1 and atrial fibrillation: On the other hand, the mRNA levels of TIMP-1 and Bcl-2 in the elderly patients from groups C and D decreased sharply in contrast to the non-elderly patients from groups A and B, respectively (P < 0.05); and the mRNA levels of TIMP-1 and Bcl-2 in patients with AF of the same age from groups B and D reduced markedly in contrast to patients with SR from groups A and C, respectively (P < 0.05).