Day-to-day measurement of physical activity and risk of atrial fibrillation

• Published in: European heart journal 2021-10, Vol.42 (38), p.3979-3988
• Main Authors: Bonnesen, Mathias Pinto, Frodi, Diana My, Haugan, Ketil Jørgen, Kronborg, Christian, Graff, Claus, Højberg, Søren, Køber, Lars, Krieger, Derk, Brandes, Axel, Svendsen, Jesper Hastrup, Diederichsen, Søren Zöga
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Clinical Research
• ISSN: 0195-668X; 1522-9645
• DOI: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehab597

Abstract Aims  The aim of this study was to investigate the association between within-individual changes in physical activity and onset of atrial fibrillation (AF). Methods and results  A total of 1410 participants from the general population (46.2% women, mean age 74.7 ± 4.1 years) with risk factors but with no prior AF diagnosis underwent continuous monitoring for AF episodes along with daily accelerometric assessment of physical activity using an implantable loop recorder during ≈3.5 years. The combined duration of monitoring was ≈1.6 million days, where 10 851 AF episodes lasting ≥60 min were detected in 361 participants (25.6%) with a median of 5 episodes (2, 25) each. The median daily physical activity was 112 (66, 168) min/day. A dynamic parameter describing within-individual changes in daily physical activity, i.e. average daily activity in the last week compared to the previous 100 days, was computed and used to model the onset of AF. A 1-h decrease in average daily physical activity was associated with AF onset the next day [odds ratio 1.24 (1.18–1.31)]. This effect was modified by overall level of activity (P