Apelland Turid, Letnes Jon Magne, Janssens Kristel, Claessen Guido, Tveit Arnljot, Sellevold Andreas Berg, Mitchell Amy, Willems Rik, Onarheim Sophia, Enger Steve, Kizilkilic Sevda Ece, Miljoen Hielko, Elliott Adrian, Loennechen Jan Pal, La Gerche Andre, Myrstad Marius
Department of Medical Research, Bærum Hospital, Vestre Viken Hospital Trust, Gjettum, Norway
Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo Faculty of Medicine, Oslo, Norway.
BMJ Open. 2025 Aug 5;15(8):e100496. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2025-100496.
To assess atrial fibrillation (AF) burden, symptoms and quality of life (QoL) in endurance athletes with paroxysmal AF.
Prospective cohort study.
Otherwise healthy endurance athletes with paroxysmal AF in Norway, Australia and Belgium. The current study presents baseline measurements collected before the intervention of a randomised controlled trial on effects of individually tailored training adaptation.
AF burden (percentage time in AF) was measured by insertable cardiac monitors (Confirm Rx, Abbott). AF-related symptoms and QoL were assessed using the Atrial Fibrillation Effect on QualiTy-of-Life Questionnaire (AFEQT) with any score <80 defined as clinically relevant.
43 athletes (age 57±10 (mean±SD), range 33-75 years, 3 women) were included. The athletes were monitored for 50±18 days. Median AF burden was 0.18% (IQR 0%-2.6%). Out of 29 athletes with at least one AF episode, 21 (72%) had AF episodes >60 min. 13 athletes (30%) had AFEQT overall score <80, indicating reduced QoL, and 23 athletes (53%) had significant symptoms. AF burden above median, and episodes >60 min were associated with reduced QoL (mean AFEQT score 78 vs 90, p=0.001 and 78 vs 90, p=0.001, respectively). There were large individual variations between the athletes concerning AF burden, symptoms and QoL.
Although most athletes were still competing, more than half had troublesome symptoms. One-third had reduced QoL, which was associated with higher AF burden and longer duration of AF episodes. Variations between the athletes highlight the need for individually tailored AF management in athletes with paroxysmal AF.
NCT04991337.
评估阵发性心房颤动（AF）耐力运动员的房颤负担、症状及生活质量（QoL）。
前瞻性队列研究。
挪威、澳大利亚和比利时的健康阵发性AF耐力运动员。本研究呈现了一项关于个性化训练适应性效果的随机对照试验干预前收集的基线测量数据。
房颤负担（房颤发生时间百分比）通过植入式心脏监测器（Confirm Rx，雅培公司）测量。使用房颤对生活质量问卷（AFEQT）评估房颤相关症状和生活质量，任何得分<80定义为具有临床相关性。
纳入43名运动员（年龄57±10（均值±标准差），范围33 - 75岁，3名女性）。运动员接受监测50±18天。房颤负担中位数为0.18%（四分位间距0% - 2.6%）。在29名至少有一次房颤发作的运动员中，21名（72%）房颤发作>60分钟。13名运动员（30%）的AFEQT总分<80，表明生活质量降低，23名运动员（53%）有明显症状。高于中位数的房颤负担和发作时间>60分钟与生活质量降低相关（平均AFEQT得分78对90，p = 0.001；78对90，p = 0.001）。运动员之间在房颤负担、症状和生活质量方面存在很大个体差异。
尽管大多数运动员仍在参赛，但超过一半有令人困扰的症状。三分之一的运动员生活质量降低，这与更高的房颤负担和更长的房颤发作持续时间相关。运动员之间的差异凸显了对阵发性房颤运动员进行个性化房颤管理的必要性。
NCT04991337。
