Key result
Sports practice before and after atrial fibrillation ablation did not significantly impact 5-year recurrence rates compared to sedentary patients (HR 1.17; 95% CI 0.70-1.97; P=0.54).
Why the study?
Limited data exist on the efficacy of catheter ablation for sport-related AF, and the impact of resuming sports practice after catheter ablation remains unknown.
Does sports practice before or after catheter ablation impact AF recurrence rates in athletes compared to non-athletes?
Case-Control (n=146)
Does sports practice before or after catheter ablation impact AF recurrence rates in athletes compared to non-athletes?
Sports practice before and after atrial fibrillation catheter ablation does not significantly impact long-term AF recurrence rates in athletes compared to sedentary patients.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
Should not yet alter activity counseling after ablation; leaves open confirmation in randomized trials.
AIMS: Limited data exist on the efficacy of catheter ablation (CA) for sport-related atrial fibrillation (AF). Impact of sports practice resumption post-CA remains unknown. We aimed to determine AF CA efficacy in athletes vs. non-athletes, and to assess the impact of sport practice resumption. METHODS AND RESULTS: From 1153 first-time AF CA performed between 2009 and 2017, 73 athletes were matched with 73 sedentary patients based on age, sex, and closest CA procedure date. Athletes were defined as performing ≥6 h/week of vigorous sports to achieve ≥2000 h accumulated lifetime sports activity. They were mostly males (93.2%) with a mean age of 55 ± 9.8 years. Before CA, athletes practiced 10.2 ± 3.9 h/week of vigorous exercise vs. 4.6 ± 3.4 after CA. Within first year after CA, physical activity was stopped in 12 (16.4%) athletes, lowered in 45 (61.9%), and resumed at same intensity in 16 (21.9%). Athletes and non-athletes suffered from same AF recurrence rates during 5-year follow-up after CA: 38 (52.0%) vs. 35 (47.9%), respectively [adjusted hazard ratio (HR) on age, body mass index (BMI), obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), and reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), 1.17 (0.70-1.97, P = 0.54)]. No significant impact of physical activity resumption status was found regarding AF recurrence rates at 1-year and beyond (P = 0.60). Procedure effectiveness was significantly lower in athletes with non-paroxysmal AF [adjusted on age, BMI, reduced LVEF, and OSA HR 2.36 (confidence interval 1.19-4.70), P = 0.01]. CONCLUSION: Sports practice before and after CA has no significant impact on AF recurrence rates in athletes within 5-year after AF CA.
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Decroocq et al. (2019) conducted a case-control in Atrial fibrillation (n=146). Sports practice (athlete status) vs. Sedentary patients (non-athletes) was evaluated on Atrial fibrillation recurrence rates during 5-year follow-up (HR 1.17, 95% CI 0.70-1.97, p=0.54). Sports practice before and after atrial fibrillation ablation did not significantly impact 5-year recurrence rates compared to sedentary patients (HR 1.17; 95% CI 0.70-1.97; P=0.54).
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