Why the study?
It was unclear whether the link between epicardial adipose tissue and atrial fibrillation is causal or simply a surrogate marker of other associated risk factors.
Does higher epicardial adipose tissue volume predict atrial fibrillation recurrence in patients undergoing AF ablation?
Does higher epicardial adipose tissue volume predict atrial fibrillation recurrence in patients undergoing AF ablation?
Epicardial adipose tissue volume is a powerful, independent predictor of atrial fibrillation recurrence after ablation, suggesting a direct pathophysiological role rather than merely being a surrogate for other risk factors.
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May refine post-ablation risk stratification; leaves open whether modulating epicardial fat improves outcomes.
Sousa et al. (2020) studied this question.
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