Research
Hormonal
Obesity and Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) exacerbate the risk of AF in MASLD through hemodynamic changes, epicardial fat deposition, and sympathetic nervous system activation.
For MASLD patients, managing weight and treating sleep apnea are critical for preventing AF. These conditions add mechanical and inflammatory stress to the heart, which can be mitigated through lifestyle and medical interventions.
GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
Obesity and OSA lead to systemic changes that may predispose individuals to AF... The association of obesity and AF is two-fold, with the first pathway being through the excess adipose tissue and the second pathway involving the deposition of fat around the heart (epicardial fat).
Why this rating
Supported by multiple studies cited regarding OSA and obesity risks.
Source
Metabolic-dysfunction associated steatotic liver disease and atrial fibrillation: A review of pathogenesis
Inderjeet S. Bharaj et al. · World Journal of Cardiology · 2025
DOI 10.4330/wjc.v17.i6.106147
narrative_reviewCited 14×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is associated with a 19% increased risk of incident atrial fibrillation (AF), with risk escalating as liver disease severity (fibrosis/MASH) increases.Good
- Chronic low-grade inflammation and oxidative stress in MASLD drive atrial structural and electrical remodeling, creating an arrhythmogenic substrate for AF.Moderate
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