Metabolic Syndrome and Risk of Recurrence of Atrial Fibrillation After Catheter Ablation

Background: Metabolic syndrome (MetS), as well as several risk factors of cardiovascular diseases, is known to be associated with atrial fibrillation (AF), but its impact on the recurrence of AF after catheter ablation has not been explored. Methods and Results: The data for 654 consecutive AF patients who underwent an index circumferential pulmonary vein ablation were retrospectively analyzed. Of them, 323 (49.4%) had MetS according to the modified National Cholesterol Education Program-Adult Treatment Panel III criteria and Chinese ethnic criteria. After a mean follow-up of 470±323 (91-1,245) days, patients with MetS had a significantly higher incidence of AF recurrence (43.7%) compared with non-MetS patients (30.5%, P