Cardiology ·
HOBIT-AF: Weight loss did not reduce AF recurrence after ablation
In the randomized HOBIT-AF trial, 167 adults with obesity and atrial fibrillation after catheter ablation received a comprehensive weight-loss intervention or usual care. The intervention reduced body weight and improved metabolic measures, but AF/atrial tachycardia burden and recurrence-free survival were similar between groups.
- 167 patients randomized after AF ablation
- Intervention group lost 6.8% of initial body weight
- AF/AT recurrence-free survival was similar between groups
- No reduction in arrhythmia burden was observed
The HOBIT-AF randomized controlled trial evaluated whether a comprehensive weight-loss intervention could reduce atrial fibrillation (AF) or atrial tachycardia (AT) after catheter ablation. It enrolled 167 participants (mean age 59 years; mean BMI 35.6 kg/m²), assigned to the intervention (n=85) or usual care (n=82), and followed them over a 15-month treatment period from 3 to 18 months after ablation. The primary outcome was change in AF/AT burden, assessed using 14-day Holter monitoring at baseline and at the end of treatment.
Participants in the intervention group lost a mean 6.8% of their initial body weight and had improved metabolic parameters. However, AF/AT burden changed by 0.6 percentage points in the intervention group (95% CI, −4.2 to 5.5) and −0.9 points with usual care (95% CI, −4.5 to 3.0). Recurrence-free survival was also similar: 70.4% versus 69.6%.
The trial found no reduction in arrhythmia recurrence despite weight loss. The authors suggest that low AF burden after ablation may have limited the potential for further improvement. These findings concern patients with predominantly paroxysmal AF after ablation and do not establish whether weight management affects outcomes in other populations or settings.
In practice
For adults with obesity and predominantly paroxysmal AF after catheter ablation, a comprehensive weight-loss intervention achieved mean weight loss of 6.8% and improved metabolic parameters, but did not reduce AF/AT burden or improve recurrence-free survival compared with usual care over the reported follow-up. The randomized findings do not support expecting this intervention to reduce post-ablation recurrence in this specific population. The trial included 167 participants, and the authors note that low arrhythmia burden after ablation may have limited the ability to detect further improvement; applicability to other AF populations is uncertain.
AI-generated clinical interpretation · Not editor-reviewed
Is this summary clinically accurate?
Help fellow clinicians: your rating sends inaccurate summaries straight to our editors.
Sign in to rate this summary →Source
Europace: A randomized comparison of comprehensive weight loss intervention vs. usual care on recurrences of atrial fibrillation in obese patients after catheter ablation: HOBIT-AF trial ↗This is an automated AI-condensed summary that has not yet been reviewed by an editor. Always consult the full item at the original source.