Impact Of SGLT2 Inhibitors Plus Standard Treatment On Atrial Remodeling And Recurrence Risk In Elderly Individuals With Persistent Atrial Fibrillation

BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF) represents the most common type of persistent arrhythmia in older adults. This research assesses the impact of integrating sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i), specifically dapagliflozin, into standard care on atrial remodeling and the recurrence of AF in elderly patients with multiple co-existing conditions. OBJECTIVE: The findings aim to inform improved treatment strategies for this patient population. METHOD: The study enrolled 174 elderly persistent AF (PAF) patients, comparing 88 (research group) who received dapagliflozin plus standard care against 86 controls on standard care only. The primary endpoints were the incidence of AF recurrence and the magnitude of change in left atrial diameter (LAD) at the 12-month mark. Secondary outcomes included levels of myocardial fibrosis biomarkers (PIIINP, PICP, TGF-β1), inflammation markers (hs-CRP, IL-6), cardiac function tests (NT-proBNP, LVEF), quality of life (6MWT, ADL) and safety monitoring. RESULTS: The research group showed a lower rate of AF recurrence at 12 months than the control group (P