Next to such atrial changes (reflected by NT-proBNP, or DKK3), Ang-2, a marker of endothelial dysfunction, suggests that there is a pronounced vascular remodeling in AF patients, which could add a further causality to the increased thromboembolic risk in AF next to the blood stasis in the atrium generally described as major stroke risk. The gene discussed is DKK3; the disease is stroke disorder.