Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38867572›Full record

ArticleEuropace : European pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac electrophysiology : journal of the working groups on cardiac pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac cellular electrophysiology of the European Society of Cardiology2024

Body mass index and pulmonary vein isolation: real-world data on outcomes and quality of life.

Jasper Vermeer, Saskia Houterman, Niki Medendorp, Pepijn van der Voort, Lukas Dekker, Ablation Registration Committee of the Netherlands Heart Registration

Abstract readMulticenter Study
In one paragraph

Article in Europace : European pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac electrophysiology : journal of the working groups on cardiac pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac cellular electrophysiology of the European Society of Cardiology, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
10citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

10 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Machine learning prediction of outcome following pulsed-field atrial fibrillation ablation: patient selection and risk factors.Europace : European pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac electrophysiology : journal of the working groups on cardiac pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac cellular electrophysiology of the European Society of Cardiology · 2026
    Article
  2. Review
  3. Article
  4. Semaglutide as adjunctive therapy to catheter ablation in obesity-related paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.Europace : European pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac electrophysiology : journal of the working groups on cardiac pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac cellular electrophysiology of the European Society of Cardiology · 2026
    Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Article
  8. Lifestyle and risk factor modification in atrial fibrillation: a European Heart Rhythm Association survey.Europace : European pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac electrophysiology : journal of the working groups on cardiac pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac cellular electrophysiology of the European Society of Cardiology · 2025
    Article
  9. The crucial importance of preventive and cardiac rehabilitation programmes in patients with atrial fibrillation: AF-CARE units.Europace : European pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac electrophysiology : journal of the working groups on cardiac pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac cellular electrophysiology of the European Society of Cardiology · 2025
    Article
  10. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Jasper VermeerDepartment of Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery, Catharina Hospital, Michelangelolaan 2, 5623EJ Eindhoven, The Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0002-0713-4402
Saskia HoutermanNetherlands Heart Registration, Utrecht, The Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0002-8680-1380
Niki MedendorpNetherlands Heart Registration, Utrecht, The Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0002-0465-9238
Pepijn van der VoortDepartment of Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery, Catharina Hospital, Michelangelolaan 2, 5623EJ Eindhoven, The Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0002-0927-3406
Lukas DekkerDepartment of Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery, Catharina Hospital, Michelangelolaan 2, 5623EJ Eindhoven, The Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0002-8166-3716
Ablation Registration Committee of the Netherlands Heart Registration

Funding

Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development 10070012010001
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

aimsIncreasing numbers of overweight and obese patients undergo pulmonary vein isolation (PVI), despite the association between higher body mass index (BMI) and adverse PVI outcomes. Evidence on complications and quality of life in different bodyweight groups is limited. This study aims to clarify the impact of BMI on repeat ablations, periprocedural complications, and changes in quality of life. METHODS AND

resultsThis multi-centre study analysed prospectively collected data from 15 ablation centres, covering all first-time PVI patients in the Netherlands from 2015 to 2021. Patients were categorized by BMI: normal weight (18.5-24.9 kg/m2), overweight (25-29.9 kg/m2), and obesity (≥30 kg/m2). Quality of life was assessed using the Atrial Fibrillation Effect on QualiTy-of-life questionnaire at baseline and 1-year post-PVI. Among 20 725 patients, 30% were of normal weight, 47% overweight, and 23% obese. Within the first year after PVI, obese patients had a higher incidence of repeat ablations than normal-weighing and overweight patients (17.8 vs. 15.6 and 16.1%, P < 0.05). Obesity was independently associated with repeat ablations (odds ratio 1.15; 95% confidence interval 1.01-1.31, P = 0.03). This association remained apparent after 3 years. Complication rates were 3.8% in normal weight, 3.0% in overweight, and 4.6% in obese, with weight class not being an independent predictor. Quality of life improved in all weight groups post-PVI but remained lowest in obese patients.

conclusionObesity is independently associated with a higher rate of repeat ablations. Pulmonary vein isolation is equally safe in all weight classes. Despite lower quality of life among obese individuals, substantial improvements occur for all weight groups after PVI.

Indexed as

Atrial FibrillationBody Mass IndexCatheter AblationObesityPulmonary VeinsQuality of LifeAgedFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedNetherlandsOverweightPostoperative ComplicationsProspective StudiesReoperationAblationAtrial fibrillationBody mass indexComplicationsQuality of lifeRecurrence after ablation

Identifiers

PMID38867572
PMCPMC11200099

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.