Atrial Fibrillation: Risk Stratification, Epidemiology, Treatment Advances and Prognostic Interventions

A special issue of Journal of Cardiovascular Development and Disease (ISSN 2308-3425). This special issue belongs to the section "Electrophysiology and Cardiovascular Physiology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 March 2026 | Viewed by 379

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
1. Institute of Health Informatics Research, University College London, London NW1 2DA, UK
2. Department of Cardiology, Barts Heart Centre, Barts Health NHS Trust, London EC1 7BE, UK
3. Department of Cardiology, Newham University Hospital, Barts Health NHS Trust, London E13 8SL, UK
Interests: atrial fibrillation; sudden cardiac death; catheter ablation; genetics; drug discovery

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue will explore current knowledge and innovations in managing atrial fibrillation (AF). AF is the most common sustained arrhythmia, with increasing prevalence linked to aging populations and lifestyle factors such as obesity. Obesity significantly elevates the risk of AF by promoting atrial remodeling, inflammation, and electrophysiological changes, making weight management a critical component of therapy. We are looking for submissions on risk stratification tools that can help to identify patients at higher risk of stroke and mortality, guiding anticoagulation and intervention strategies.

Recent advances in treatment include pulsed field ablation (PFA), a novel non-thermal technique offering precise and safe pulmonary vein isolation with reduced collateral damage. We also seek manuscripts exploring ablation outside the pulmonary veins, targeting additional atrial substrates responsible for more persistent and complex AF.

Overall, the progress in AF management emphasizes personalized therapies, incorporating cutting-edge procedures like PFA and targeted ablation outside pulmonary veins in more complex scenarios, with lifestyle modifications such as obesity reduction and management of multiple comorbidities playing a vital role in reducing disease burden and enhancing quality of life.

Prof. Dr. Rui Bebiano Da Providencia E Costa
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • pulsed field ablation
  • arrhythmia
  • pulmonary veins
  • obesity
  • multi-morbidity

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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13 pages, 4743 KB  
Systematic Review
Impact of Atrial Fibrillation on the Outcome of Patients with Brugada Syndrome: A Meta-Analysis
by Max Aboutorabi, Mahmood Ahmad, Jonathan J. H. Bray, Daniel A. Gomes and Rui Providencia
J. Cardiovasc. Dev. Dis. 2025, 12(10), 391; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcdd12100391 - 3 Oct 2025
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Abstract
Introduction: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is common in patients with Brugada syndrome (BrS). The impact and significance of AF in this patient population needs to be further clarified. Method: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies comparing the risks of developing major [...] Read more.
Introduction: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is common in patients with Brugada syndrome (BrS). The impact and significance of AF in this patient population needs to be further clarified. Method: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies comparing the risks of developing major arrhythmic events (MAEs) in patients with BrS with and without AF. Databases including MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane CENTRAL were searched from inception to July 2024, using appropriate search and MeSH terms. Data were sought on the comparison of patients with BrS with and without AF. The protocol was specified prior to the searches being performed, and standard meta-analytic techniques were used. Results: Thirteen observational studies were included (a total of 5413 patients). A significant increase in MAEs was observed in patients with both BrS and AF (20.6% vs. 7.8%; OR 2.81, 95% CI 1.82–4.34; p < 0.0001; I2 = 46%). Significantly higher rates of syncope (33.3% vs. 23.4%; OR 1.97, 95% CI 1.04–3.76; p = 0.04, I2 = 59%) and a significant increase in all-cause mortality (11.3% vs. 3.7%; OR 4.21, 95% CI 1.69–10.45; p = 0.002, I2 = 0%) and sodium channel mutations (43.1% vs. 29.9%; OR 1.87, 95% CI 1.07–3.29; p = 0.028, I2 = 0%) were observed for patients with BrS and AF. Conclusions: Patients with both BrS and AF seem to have a more severe disease phenotype. More research into the added role of AF in risk stratification of asymptomatic BrS patients is needed, but the prognostic implications of AF may need to be considered when developing future personalised medicine approaches in the BrS population. Full article
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