Liraglutide Adjunct Therapy Reduces Atrial Fibrillation Recurrence Post-Ablation

Atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation offers mediocre long-term outcomes, especially for persistent AF. Obesity and increased epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) are strongly linked to AF prevalence and poorer ablation success. Current risk factor modification (RFM), including weight loss, improves AF treatment, but more effective adjunctive strategies are needed. Liraglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist, is known to induce weight loss and reduce EAT, making it a promising candidate to enhance AF ablation efficacy.

This randomized study enrolled 59 overweight/obese patients (BMI ≥27 kg/m²) with AF (80% persistent) undergoing catheter ablation. Patients were randomized to either risk factor modification (RFM, n=28) or RFM plus liraglutide (RFM+L, n=31) for 3 months prior to ablation. Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) was assessed via serial computed tomography (CT) scans at baseline and pre-ablation. Echocardiograms were performed up to 1-year post-ablation to monitor outcomes. The primary endpoint was 12-month AF recurrence.