Effects of Exercise Training in Patients With Permanent Atrial Fibrillation

National Taiwan University

Status and phase: Completed; Phase 1

Conditions: Atrial Fibrillation

Treatments: Other: Exercise training

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01721863

201010032R

Details and patient eligibility

About

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common arrhythmia. The proposed patholophysiological mechanisms of AF include abnormal electrical conduction in atrium and sympathovagal imbalance with increased vagal tone. Patients with AF have poor exercise capacity that may contribute to decreased atrial effective refractory period, and decreased cardiac output and heart rate reserve, and may result in poor quality of life. Poor endothelial function had been noted in patients with AF, associated with increased risks of cerebrovascular and cardiovascular disease. Exercise training has been noted to improve exercise capacity and quality of life in patients with AF only in some studies. Endothelial function can be improved by exercise training in patients with cardiovascular disease, but no report in patients with AF. Evidence of exercise training is still needed in patients with AF. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of exercise training on

1. endothelial function
2. heart rate variability
3. exercise capacity
4. quality of life.

Full description

A randomized controlled study was implemented to examine :(1) the effect of interval aerobic exercise training combined with resistance training on endothelial function, heart rate variability (HRV), exercise capacity, and quality of life (QoL); (2) the influential factors related to exercise capacity, and the relationship between exercise capacity and quality of life in patients with permanent atrial fibrillation (AF).

Enrollment: 58 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 40 to 76 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Permanent atrial fibrillation≥ 1 year aged 40-76 years
• Recurrence AF after ablation
• Under antiarrhythmia medication control

Exclusion criteria

• CAD or myocardial infrarction history
• NYHA≥ III-IV, or LVEF≤45%
• Mitral or aortic valve regurgitation ≥ Gr. II
• Mitral valve or aortic valve stenosis
• Pacemaker
• Cardioversion by ablation
• Pulmonary artery hypertension
• Any surgery in previous 3 months
• Any neurological disorders
• Cancer
• Severe musculoskeletal disorder
• Hyperthyroidism
• Premenopausal women

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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58 participants in 2 patient groups

Exercise training

Experimental group

Description:

Exercise group will undergo progressively aerobic exercise training with 40-85% maximal oxygen consumption for 40 minutes, 3 sessions per week for 12 weeks.

Treatment:

Other: Exercise training

control group

No Intervention group

Description:

Control group conducted the usual care