Does higher BMI increase the risk of progression from paroxysmal to permanent atrial fibrillation?
Higher BMI is associated with a graded risk of progression from paroxysmal to permanent atrial fibrillation over 21 years, independent of left atrial volume.
There was a graded risk relationship between BMI and progression from paroxysmal to permanent AF. This relationship was not weakened by LA volume, which was independent of and incremental to BMI for the prediction of progression to permanent AF.
Tsang et al. (2008) studied this question.