Cross-analysis ultimately identified 13 core candidate genes common to sepsis, atrial fibrillation, and lipid metabolism, including LDHB, CD81, PFKFB2, G0S2, GLRX, SLC22A4, CKAP4, CXCR4, DPEP2, CLU, CDK4, RORA, and BCL11B (Fig 1I, 1J). This evidence concerns the gene PFKFB2 and atrial fibrillation.