Association of physical activity with the incidence of atrial fibrillation in persons > 65 years old: the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study

Grace Fletcher; Aniqa B. Alam; Linzi Li; Faye L. Norby; Lin Y. Chen; Elsayed Z. Soliman; Alvaro Alonso

doi:10.1186/s12872-022-02643-4

Association of physical activity with the incidence of atrial fibrillation in persons > 65 years old: the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study

Grace Fletcher, Aniqa B. Alam, Linzi Li, Faye L. Norby, Lin Y. Chen, Elsayed Z. Soliman, Alvaro Alonso

Medicine - Cardiology Division

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

4 Scopus citations

Abstract

AIMS: To evaluate the association of physical activity (PA) with atrial fibrillation (AF) incidence in an elderly population.

METHODS: We studied 5166 participants of the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities cohort examined in 2011-2013 free of AF. Self-reported PA was evaluated with a validated questionnaire. Weekly minutes of leisure-time moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) were calculated and categorized using the 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans (no activity [0 min/week], low [> 0- < 150 min/week], adequate [150- < 300 min/week], high [≥ 300 min/week]). Incident AF through 2019 was ascertained from hospital discharges and death certificates. Cox models were used to calculate hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for AF by levels of physical activity adjusting for potential confounders.

RESULTS: The mean (SD) age for the sample was 75 (5) years (59% female, 22% Black). During a mean (SD) follow-up time of 6.3 (2.0) years, 703 AF events were identified. The association of MVPA with AF incidence showed a U-shaped relationship. Compared to those not engaging in MVPA, individuals with low MVPA had a 23% lower hazard of AF (HR = 0.77; 95% CI 0.61, 0.96), while those with adequate MVPA had a 14% lower hazard (HR 0.86; 95% CI 0.69, 1.06). High levels of MVPA were not associated with AF risk (HR 0.97; 95% CI 0.78, 1.20).

CONCLUSION: This study suggests that being involved in low to moderate levels of MVPA is associated with lower AF risk, with no evidence of increased risk of AF in those with higher levels of MVPA.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	196
Journal	BMC Cardiovascular Disorders
Volume	22
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1186/s12872-022-02643-4
State	Published - Dec 2022

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study has been funded in whole or in part with Federal funds from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, under Contract nos. (HHSN268201700001I, HHSN268201700002I, HHSN268201700003I, HHSN268201700004I, HHSN268201700005I). Additional support was provided by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number K24HL148521 and American Heart Association award 16EIA26410001 (Alonso). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2022, The Author(s).

Keywords

Atrial fibrillation
Elderly
Physical activity
Humans
Risk Factors
Atherosclerosis/complications
Male
Incidence
United States/epidemiology
Exercise
Female
Aged
Atrial Fibrillation/complications

PubMed: MeSH publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Journal Article
Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

Publisher link

10.1186/s12872-022-02643-4

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@article{9f37484c4e624f71a25ecd6fab33bb77,

title = "Association of physical activity with the incidence of atrial fibrillation in persons > 65 years old: the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study",

abstract = "AIMS: To evaluate the association of physical activity (PA) with atrial fibrillation (AF) incidence in an elderly population.METHODS: We studied 5166 participants of the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities cohort examined in 2011-2013 free of AF. Self-reported PA was evaluated with a validated questionnaire. Weekly minutes of leisure-time moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) were calculated and categorized using the 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans (no activity [0 min/week], low [> 0- < 150 min/week], adequate [150- < 300 min/week], high [≥ 300 min/week]). Incident AF through 2019 was ascertained from hospital discharges and death certificates. Cox models were used to calculate hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for AF by levels of physical activity adjusting for potential confounders.RESULTS: The mean (SD) age for the sample was 75 (5) years (59% female, 22% Black). During a mean (SD) follow-up time of 6.3 (2.0) years, 703 AF events were identified. The association of MVPA with AF incidence showed a U-shaped relationship. Compared to those not engaging in MVPA, individuals with low MVPA had a 23% lower hazard of AF (HR = 0.77; 95% CI 0.61, 0.96), while those with adequate MVPA had a 14% lower hazard (HR 0.86; 95% CI 0.69, 1.06). High levels of MVPA were not associated with AF risk (HR 0.97; 95% CI 0.78, 1.20).CONCLUSION: This study suggests that being involved in low to moderate levels of MVPA is associated with lower AF risk, with no evidence of increased risk of AF in those with higher levels of MVPA.",

keywords = "Atrial fibrillation, Elderly, Physical activity, Humans, Risk Factors, Atherosclerosis/complications, Male, Incidence, United States/epidemiology, Exercise, Female, Aged, Atrial Fibrillation/complications",

author = "Grace Fletcher and Alam, {Aniqa B.} and Linzi Li and Norby, {Faye L.} and Chen, {Lin Y.} and Soliman, {Elsayed Z.} and Alvaro Alonso",

note = "Funding Information: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study has been funded in whole or in part with Federal funds from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, under Contract nos. (HHSN268201700001I, HHSN268201700002I, HHSN268201700003I, HHSN268201700004I, HHSN268201700005I). Additional support was provided by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number K24HL148521 and American Heart Association award 16EIA26410001 (Alonso). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022, The Author(s).",

year = "2022",

month = dec,

doi = "10.1186/s12872-022-02643-4",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "22",

journal = "BMC Cardiovascular Disorders",

issn = "1471-2261",

publisher = "BioMed Central",

number = "1",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Association of physical activity with the incidence of atrial fibrillation in persons > 65 years old

T2 - the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study

AU - Fletcher, Grace

AU - Alam, Aniqa B.

AU - Li, Linzi

AU - Norby, Faye L.

AU - Chen, Lin Y.

AU - Soliman, Elsayed Z.

AU - Alonso, Alvaro

N1 - Funding Information: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study has been funded in whole or in part with Federal funds from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, under Contract nos. (HHSN268201700001I, HHSN268201700002I, HHSN268201700003I, HHSN268201700004I, HHSN268201700005I). Additional support was provided by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number K24HL148521 and American Heart Association award 16EIA26410001 (Alonso). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. Publisher Copyright: © 2022, The Author(s).

PY - 2022/12

Y1 - 2022/12

N2 - AIMS: To evaluate the association of physical activity (PA) with atrial fibrillation (AF) incidence in an elderly population.METHODS: We studied 5166 participants of the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities cohort examined in 2011-2013 free of AF. Self-reported PA was evaluated with a validated questionnaire. Weekly minutes of leisure-time moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) were calculated and categorized using the 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans (no activity [0 min/week], low [> 0- < 150 min/week], adequate [150- < 300 min/week], high [≥ 300 min/week]). Incident AF through 2019 was ascertained from hospital discharges and death certificates. Cox models were used to calculate hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for AF by levels of physical activity adjusting for potential confounders.RESULTS: The mean (SD) age for the sample was 75 (5) years (59% female, 22% Black). During a mean (SD) follow-up time of 6.3 (2.0) years, 703 AF events were identified. The association of MVPA with AF incidence showed a U-shaped relationship. Compared to those not engaging in MVPA, individuals with low MVPA had a 23% lower hazard of AF (HR = 0.77; 95% CI 0.61, 0.96), while those with adequate MVPA had a 14% lower hazard (HR 0.86; 95% CI 0.69, 1.06). High levels of MVPA were not associated with AF risk (HR 0.97; 95% CI 0.78, 1.20).CONCLUSION: This study suggests that being involved in low to moderate levels of MVPA is associated with lower AF risk, with no evidence of increased risk of AF in those with higher levels of MVPA.

AB - AIMS: To evaluate the association of physical activity (PA) with atrial fibrillation (AF) incidence in an elderly population.METHODS: We studied 5166 participants of the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities cohort examined in 2011-2013 free of AF. Self-reported PA was evaluated with a validated questionnaire. Weekly minutes of leisure-time moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) were calculated and categorized using the 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans (no activity [0 min/week], low [> 0- < 150 min/week], adequate [150- < 300 min/week], high [≥ 300 min/week]). Incident AF through 2019 was ascertained from hospital discharges and death certificates. Cox models were used to calculate hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for AF by levels of physical activity adjusting for potential confounders.RESULTS: The mean (SD) age for the sample was 75 (5) years (59% female, 22% Black). During a mean (SD) follow-up time of 6.3 (2.0) years, 703 AF events were identified. The association of MVPA with AF incidence showed a U-shaped relationship. Compared to those not engaging in MVPA, individuals with low MVPA had a 23% lower hazard of AF (HR = 0.77; 95% CI 0.61, 0.96), while those with adequate MVPA had a 14% lower hazard (HR 0.86; 95% CI 0.69, 1.06). High levels of MVPA were not associated with AF risk (HR 0.97; 95% CI 0.78, 1.20).CONCLUSION: This study suggests that being involved in low to moderate levels of MVPA is associated with lower AF risk, with no evidence of increased risk of AF in those with higher levels of MVPA.

KW - Atrial fibrillation

KW - Elderly

KW - Physical activity

KW - Humans

KW - Risk Factors

KW - Atherosclerosis/complications

KW - Male

KW - Incidence

KW - United States/epidemiology

KW - Exercise

KW - Female

KW - Aged

KW - Atrial Fibrillation/complications

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U2 - 10.1186/s12872-022-02643-4

DO - 10.1186/s12872-022-02643-4

M3 - Article

C2 - 35473497

AN - SCOPUS:85128845274

SN - 1471-2261

VL - 22

JO - BMC Cardiovascular Disorders

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