Arrhythmias & electrophysiology
Evaluating the Impact of Obesity and Epicardial Adiposity on the Presence of Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction (HFpEF) in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation (AF)
Authors' conclusion
Obesity in AF is associated with worse hemodynamics and higher prevalence of HFpEF, underpinned by greater pericardial restraint due to cardiomegaly and increased EATV. Patients with obesity and increased EATV are therefore at increased risk of HF and may benefit from additional HFpEF and weight loss therapies to reduce this risk (Characterizing Left Atrial Function and Compliance in Atrial Fibrillation; ACTRN12620000639921).
Study context
- Population
- Patients with symptomatic AF and preserved ejection fraction undergoing an AF ablation procedureobese 44 · nonobese 76
- Participants
- 120 patients
- Comparison
- Obese vs nonobese patients
- Obesen = 44
- Nonobesen = 76
- Outcome
- Age
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
- Obese vs Nonobese: P = 0.003
Further findings
| Outcome | P value |
|---|---|
| mLAPHigher in obese | P < 0.001 |
| HFpEFMore likely in obese | P = 0.043 |
| mRAPHigher in obese | P < 0.001 |
| Global LA voltagesNo difference | P = 0.186 |
| LA reservoir strainNo difference | P = 0.63 |
| TCVGreater in obese | P = 0.001 |
| EATVGreater in obese | P < 0.001 |
Correlation of total cardiac volumes (TCV) and EAT volumes (EATV) with mean right atrial pressures (mRAP)
- TCV correlated positively with mRAP
- P = 0.013
- EATV correlated positively with mRAP
- P = 0.007
Original publication
Evaluating the Impact of Obesity and Epicardial Adiposity on the Presence of HFpEF in Patients With AF. JACC Clin Electrophysiol. Published 24 September 2025. doi:10.
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it