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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2022 Oct 3;5(10):e2239380.
doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.39380.

Effect of High-Intensity Interval Training in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Jennifer L Reed  1   2   3 , Tasuku Terada  1 , Sol Vidal-Almela  1   2   4 , Heather E Tulloch  1   3 , Matheus Mistura  1 , David H Birnie  1   3 , George A Wells  1   3 , Girish M Nair  1   3 , Harleen Hans  1 , Kimberley L Way  1   5 , Daniele Chirico  1   6 , Carley D O'Neill  1 , Andrew L Pipe  1   3
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Effect of High-Intensity Interval Training in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Jennifer L Reed et al. JAMA Netw Open. .

Abstract

Importance: Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) experience poor functional capacity and quality of life (QOL). High-intensity interval training (HIIT) has been shown to elicit greater improvements in functional capacity and QOL compared with moderate to vigorous intensity continuous training (MICT) in other cardiovascular populations, yet HIIT remains understudied in AF.

Objective: To compare the effects of 12 weeks of HIIT and MICT-based cardiovascular rehabilitation (CR) on functional capacity and general QOL in patients with persistent and permanent AF. Disease-specific QOL, resting heart rate (HR), time in AF, and physical activity (PA) levels were also assessed.

Design, setting, and participants: This randomized clinical trial, conducted between November 17, 2015, and February 4, 2020, at a tertiary-care cardiovascular health center in Ottawa, Canada, recruited 94 patients with persistent and permanent AF.

Interventions: High-intensity interval training (23 minutes: two 8-minute interval training blocks of 30-second work periods at 80%-100% of peak power output interspersed with 30-second recovery) or CR (60 minutes: continuous aerobic conditioning within 67%-95% of peak HR and 12-16 of 20 ratings of perceived exertion) twice weekly for 12 weeks.

Main outcomes and measures: The primary outcomes were changes in functional capacity (6-minute walk test [6MWT] distance) and general QOL (Short Form 36) from baseline to 12 weeks' follow-up. Secondary outcomes included changes in disease-specific QOL (Atrial Fibrillation Severity Scale), resting HR, time in AF, and PA levels. An intention-to-treat analysis was used to compare changes between groups.

Results: Of the 94 patients who consented, 86 participated (mean [SD] age, 69 [7] years; 57 [66.3%] men). No significant differences in improvements in 6MWT distance (mean [SD], 21.3 [34.1] vs 13.2 [55.2] m; P = .42) and general QOL (Physical Component Summary, 0.5 [6.1] vs 1.1 [4.9] points; P = .87) between HIIT and CR were observed. No significant differences in improvements in disease-specific QOL (AF symptoms: -1.7 [4.3] vs -1.5 [4] points, P = .59), resting HR (-3.6 [10.6] vs -2.9 [12.4] beats per minute, P = .63), and moderate to vigorous PA levels (37.3 [93.4] vs 14.4 [125.7] min/wk; P = .35) between HIIT and CR were detected. Participants attended a mean (SD) of 18.3 (6.1) (75.1%) HIIT sessions and 20.0 (4.5) (83.4%) CR sessions (P = .36).

Conclusions and relevance: In this randomized clinical trial, twice-weekly 23-minute HIIT was as efficacious as twice-weekly 60-minute CR in improving functional capacity, general and disease-specific QOL, resting HR, and PA levels in patients with persistent and permanent AF.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02602457.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest Disclosures: Dr Reed reported receiving grants from Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, the Innovations Fund of the Alternate Funding Plan for the Academic Health Sciences Centre of the Ministry of Ontario, and the Ministry of Research, Innovation, and Science of the Government of Ontario during the conduct of the study. Dr Terada reported receiving a postdoctoral research fellowship from the CIHR outside the submitted work. Dr Nair reported receiving grants from the CIHR, Biosense Webster, and Medtronic Inc, and personal fees from Boston Scientific outside the submitted work. Dr Way reported receiving a postdoctoral research fellowship and grants from Alfred Deakin outside the submitted work. No other disclosures were reported.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.. Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials Flow Diagram of Patients Recruited and Reasons for Withdrawals
CR indicates cardiovascular rehabilitation; HIIT, high-intensity interval training.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.. Exercise Training Responses
The exercise training responses including (A) ratings of perceived exertion, (B) percentage of peak heart rate, and (C) percentage of peak power output throughout the high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and cardiovascular rehabilitation (CR) groups from intervention week 1 to 12. Values are plotted as means (SDs).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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