Association of sarcopenia with atrial fibrillation: protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis

Sarcopenia is a clinical syndrome characterized by a significant reduction in muscle mass and strength, typically associated with the ageing process. In recent years, an increasing number of studies have shown that sarcopenia not only affects functional health in the elderly but may also be closely associated with the onset of cardiovascular diseases, particularly atrial fibrillation. However, the association between sarcopenia and atrial fibrillation has not yet been adequately systematically evaluated. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the relationship between sarcopenia and atrial fibrillation through a systematic review and meta-analysis.

The study will adhere to the PRISMA-P guidelines to ensure a transparent and rigorous methodology and will conduct a comprehensive literature search using databases PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and Web of Science, with the search period spanning from the establishment of the databases to 15 May 2025. Included will be clinical observational studies that meet the criteria, including prospective cohort studies, and case-control studies. The included studies must explicitly assess the association between sarcopenia and the occurrence of atrial fibrillation. We will assess the risk of bias of all included studies using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) and the AHRQ quality assessment tool. The data for this study will be analyzed using Stata 15. We will employ random-effects models for statistical analysis, along with subgroup analysis, to further explore the potential influence of factors such as age, gender, and disease status on the results.

The primary objective of this study is to assess the impact of sarcopenia on atrial fibrillation and to analyze their potential association. This study is expected to reveal the potential association between sarcopenia and atrial fibrillation and provide evidence-based support for clinical prevention and treatment. The study results will help promote early identification and intervention for sarcopenia, thereby reducing the risk of atrial fibrillation and improving health outcomes for the elderly population.

Prospero CRD420251054023.