CRP and atrial fibrillation: Notably, CRP, IL-6, along with other cytokines, elevated in response to oral bacteria entering the bloodstream, triggering systemic inflammation, have been identified as genetic loci positively correlating with atrial remodelling and AF, and biomarkers of disease status.67, 68 Through mediation analysis, we further delineated TNF and IL-17 as causal mediators linking periodontal disease and AF intervention and prevention, while other inflammatory factors appeared to be uninvolved in pathogenesis and merely served as indicators of the progression.