Study of the Effect of Exercise Training on Patients in Atrial Fibrillation

Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre

Status: Completed

Conditions: Atrial Fibrillation

Treatments: Behavioral: exercise training

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01367197

22300240

Details and patient eligibility

About

PURPOSE Physical exercise is beneficial for patients with ischemic heart disease and chronic heart failure, while little is known about the effect in atrial fibrillation (AF). The investigators studied the effect of physical exercise on cardiac output (CO), max. exercise capacity, biomarkers and quality of life (Qol) in patients with AF in a randomised study of physical exercise training three times weekly for twelve weeks.

HYPOTHESIS Exercise training improves cardiac output (CO), max. exercise capacity, biomarkers and quality of life (Qol) in patients with AF.

METHODS Assessment of exercise capacity, CO, Qol, body composition, six minute walk test and muscular strength was performed before and after 12 weeks.

Resting echocardiography was done at baseline. CO was measured using impedance cardiography at rest and during maximal exercise testing on an ergometer bicycle. Body composition, muscular strength and six minutes walking capacity were measured before and after the training period. Qol was evaluated by the use of the standardized validated questionnaires Short Form 36 (SF-36) and the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHF-Q).

Training consisted of aerobic exercise at 70 percent of max. capacity estimated by Borg-scale.

Enrollment: 49 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Adult subjects in permanent atrial fibrillation, willing to participate in a 12 weeks training program and able to give informed consent to participation were eligible for the study.

Exclusion criteria

• Subjects with severe refractory hypertension
• previous heart valve surgery, moderate to severe COPD
• restrictive lung disease, moderate to severe asthma
• pregnant or lactating subjects
• patients with a very low life expectancy
• patients who were unable to exercise or comply with the study protocol

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

---

49 participants in 2 patient groups

No intervention

No Intervention group

Description:

Observation only

Exercise training group

Experimental group

Description:

Group exercise training, three times weekly high-intensity

Treatment:

Behavioral: exercise training