Impact of risk-factor modification on arrhythmia recurrence among morbidly obese patients undergoing atrial...

Morbid obesity is associated with prohibitively high arrhythmia recurrence rates following atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation.

This was a single-center study comprising 239 patients with morbid obesity and symptomatic paroxysmal or persistent AF undergoing AF ablation compared to 239 patients with a body mass index less than 30 kg/m² matched based on age, sex, ejection fraction, AF type, presence and type of heart failure, and left atrial volume index.

Our primary outcome of interest was arrhythmia recurrence.

During a mean follow-up of 29 months, arrhythmia recurrence was observed in 65% of the morbidly obese cohort compared to 27% of the control group (P < .0001). Among those with morbid obesity, sleep apnea screening, and treatment (91% vs 40%; P < .0001), blood pressure control (62% vs 53%; P = .001), glycemic control (85% vs 56%; P = .004), and weight loss more than equal to 5% (33% vs 57% in those who lost less than 5% and 83% in those who gained weight, P < .0001) were associated with lower arrhythmia recurrence. Recurrent arrhythmia was observed in one (4%) patient who accomplished all four goals, compared to 36% who achieved 3 of 4, 85% who modified 2 of 4%, and 97% of those who modified zero or one risk-factor. Risk-factor modification (RFM) was also associated with substantial reductions in the need for repeat ablation or direct-current cardioversion and arrhythmia-related hospitalization (P < .0001).

RFM through pragmatic noninvasive means such as blood pressure and glycemic control, sleep apnea screening and treatment, and weight loss is associated with substantially lower rates of recurrent arrhythmia among morbidly obese patients undergoing AF ablation.