The Predictive Value of Epicardial Fat Tissue Volume in the Occurrence and Development of Atrial Fibrillation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Cardiol Res Pract 2022;
2022:2090309. [PMID:
36213458 PMCID:
PMC9537030 DOI:
10.1155/2022/2090309]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Revised: 08/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is one of the most common arrhythmias in clinical practice. Although fat is currently considered to be a risk factor for AF and a pathogenic link between epicardial fat tissue (EFT) and AF has been speculated, there are currently few clinical studies and literature data domestically or abroad.
Objective
This study conducted a meta-analysis of observational case series studies to verify the relationship between atrial fibrillation and EFT and to strengthen the predictive value of EFT in the occurrence, development, and postablative recurrence of AF.
Methods
We conducted a systematic search of the literature in electronic databases until December 2021 and supplemented this through manual searches of individual studies, reviewed articles, and reference lists in conference proceedings. This study conducted a meta-analysis to compare the differences between different populations, such as healthy participants and AF patients, healthy subjects and AF subtype cases, and paroxysmal and persistent AF with AF recurrence and without AF recurrence after ablation.
Results
Following the retrieval of 828 articles, only 22 articles were selected as research results. Accordingly, the meta-analysis results show that the volume of EFT in AF is greater than that in healthy subjects (MD = 39.34 ml, 95% CI = 27.11, 51.58); persistent AF is greater than paroxysmal AF (MD = 14.37 ml, 95% CI = 7.46, 21.27); and recurrence after ablation is greater than without recurrence (MD = 14.37 ml, 95% CI = 7.46, 21.27).
Conclusion
The results of this study further confirm the connection between EFT and AF and that EFT has a certain predictive value for the occurrence and development of AF.
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