May 27, 2015Heart108 citationsOpen Access
Physical activity is associated with a reduced risk of atrial fibrillation in middle-aged and elderly women
Key Result
Leisure-time exercise ≥4 h/week was associated with a reduced risk of atrial fibrillation in women compared to <1 h/week (RR 0.85; 95% CI 0.75-0.95).
Study Design
Type
Cohort (n=36,513)
Structured PICO
Does physical activity reduce the risk of developing atrial fibrillation in middle-aged and elderly women?
P
Population
36,513 AF-free women (49-83 years old, median age 60 years) from the population-based Swedish Mammography Cohort
I
Intervention
Higher levels of physical activity (leisure-time exercise ≥4 h/week or walking/bicycling ≥40 min/day)
C
Comparator
Lower levels of physical activity (<1 h/week leisure-time exercise or almost never walking/bicycling)
O
Outcome
Diagnosis of atrial fibrillation (AF) determined via the Swedish National Inpatient Registerhard clinical
Moderate amounts of physical activity, such as walking or bicycling, are associated with a significantly reduced risk of developing atrial fibrillation in middle-aged and elderly women.
Main Result
Effect estimate: RR 0.85 (95% CI 0.75 to 0.95)
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Previous studies have found that regular participation in intense physical activity increases the risk of developing atrial fibrillation (AF) in men, but it remains unclear how physical activity influences the risk of AF in women. We aimed to examine whether physical activity of different types and at different ages influences the development of AF in women. METHODS: In the population-based Swedish Mammography Cohort, information about physical activity was obtained from 36 513 AF-free women (49-83 years old, median age 60 years) who had completed a questionnaire at study entry (1997). Participants reported their time spent on leisure-time exercise and on walking or bicycling throughout their lifetime (at study entry, and at 30 and 50 years of age). We used the Swedish National Inpatient Register (IPR) to determine whether the participants were diagnosed with AF. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to estimate relative risks (RR) with 95% CI, adjusted for potential confounders. RESULTS: During a median follow-up of 12 years (10th percentile 7.5 years, 90th percentile 12.0 years), 2915 cases of AF were diagnosed. The risk of AF decreased with increasing levels of leisure-time exercise at study entry (RR 0.85, 95% CI 0.75 to 0.95 for ≥4 h/week vs <1 h/week) and walking/bicycling (RR 0.81, 95% CI 0.72 to 0.92, for ≥40 min/day vs almost never). CONCLUSIONS: Physical activity is associated with a reduced risk of AF in women. Moderate amount of physical activity was sufficient to significantly reduce AF risk.
Cite This Study
Drca et al. (Wed,) conducted a cohort in Atrial fibrillation (n=36,513). Physical activity (leisure-time exercise and walking/bicycling) vs. <1 h/week leisure-time exercise or almost never walking/bicycling was evaluated on Development of atrial fibrillation (RR 0.85, 95% CI 0.75 to 0.95). Leisure-time exercise ≥4 h/week was associated with a reduced risk of atrial fibrillation in women compared to <1 h/week (RR 0.85; 95% CI 0.75-0.95).