Abstract 15887: Bodyweight Changes and the Incidence of Atrial Fibrillation in Individuals With Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Abstract

Introduction: Previous studies have demonstrated that obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and obesity independently increase the risk for development of atrial fibrillation (AF). However, it is unknown whether weight changes in an OSA cohort also increase the risk of AF. Methods: This was a case control study from a single tertiary institution analyzing patients with a confirmed OSA diagnosis from 2013-2020. Patients with missing data on any of the key variables were excluded from these analyses. The covariates included smoking history, hypertension, congestive heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart failure, and coronary artery disease. Patients’ weight at the time of AF diagnosis by electrocardiogram (ECG) was compared to the weight documented one year earlier. Weight at the time of the ECG closest to the sleep study date was compared to the weight one year prior for the control group. ​​Multivariate logistic regression analysis to examine the association between AF cases (versus controls) and weight percent change greater than 5%. Results: Among the 182 patients included in the analysis, the incidence of AF was 32.4% and the median weight change was -1.32± 11.69 lb (Table 1). About 36% of those diagnosed with AF had weight changes (gain or loss) above 5% compared to 23% in the control group (p = 0.07). The average weight change for those with diagnosed AF compared to individuals without AF was -2.5 ±11.8 lb vs. -0.76 ± 11.6 lb (p=0.19). The change in the adjusted odds of AF diagnosis among those with more than 5% weight gain or loss was 2.27 (95% CI =1.01, 5.09) compared to those with less or no weight change. Conclusions: Among individuals with OSA, those who exhibited weight changes greater than 5% over a one year period have increased odds for developing AF. Further large-scale studies need to be undertaken to understand the link between intentional versus unintentional weight loss.