Key result
Lifestyle risk modification clinics cut post-ablation arrhythmia recurrence ~66% vs usual care.
Why the study?
Incidence and recurrence of atrial fibrillation are associated with lifestyle risk factors, and the role of lifestyle and risk factor modification clinics in improving clinical outcomes was evaluated.
Do lifestyle and risk factor modification (LRFM) clinics reduce atrial arrhythmia recurrence in patients with atrial fibrillation compared with usual care?
Meta-Analysis (n=3,364)
Do lifestyle and risk factor modification (LRFM) clinics reduce atrial arrhythmia recurrence in patients with atrial fibrillation compared with usual care?
Odds Ratio: 0.34 (95% CI 0.23–0.51)
p-value: p=<0.001
Lifestyle and risk factor modification clinics significantly reduce atrial fibrillation recurrence after ablation, decrease AF-related hospitalizations, and improve quality of life.
Supports post-ablation lifestyle clinics to cut arrhythmia recurrence; confirms pooled RCT efficacy and extends to broader implementation.
BACKGROUND: Incidence and recurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF) are associated with several lifestyle risk factors. Lifestyle and risk factor modification (LRFM) clinics could have a role in comprehensively addressing AF from a holistic, patient-centered approach to improve clinical outcomes. METHODS: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials evaluating the role of LRFM clinics compared with usual care in patients with AF. The primary end point was atrial arrhythmia recurrence. Secondary end points were AF and heart failure-related hospitalization, cardiovascular death, stroke or transient ischemic attack, and quality-of-life. RESULTS: Eleven randomized controlled trials with a total of 3364 patients were included (5 randomized controlled trials performed in the context of AF ablation). Mean age was 58 to 73 years, 30% were female, and 18% had persistent AF. Duration of follow-up ranged from 3 to 24 months. LRFM clinics significantly reduced the primary end point of arrhythmia recurrence compared with usual care after catheter ablation (odds ratio, 0.34 [95% CI, 0.23–0.51]; P <0.001, I 2 =0%). LRFM clinics also reduced AF-related hospitalization (odds ratio, 0.70 [95% CI, 0.51–0.98]; P =0.04, I 2 =21%) and improved quality-of-life (mean improvement on Short Form 36 Questionnaire, 8.90 [95% CI, 6.91–10.90]; P <0.001). There was no detected difference between LRFM clinics and usual care for heart failure-related hospitalization ( P =0.16), cardiovascular deaths ( P =0.79), or stroke/transient ischemic attack ( P =0.83). CONCLUSIONS: In this meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials, LRFM clinics reduced AF recurrence after ablation, reduced AF-related hospitalization, and improved quality of life. This study supports a comprehensive multidisciplinary lifestyle risk modification model of care to improve clinical outcomes in patients with AF.
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Zhao et al. (2026) conducted a meta-analysis in Atrial fibrillation (n=3,364). Lifestyle and risk factor modification (LRFM) clinics vs. Usual care was evaluated on Atrial arrhythmia recurrence (OR 0.34, 95% CI 0.23-0.51, p=<0.001). Lifestyle and risk factor modification clinics significantly reduced atrial arrhythmia recurrence after catheter ablation compared with usual care (OR 0.34; 95% CI 0.23-0.51; P<0.001).
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