{
  "abstract": "Objectives To assess atrial fibrillation (AF) burden, symptoms and quality of life (QoL) in endurance athletes with paroxysmal AF.Design Prospective cohort study.Setting and participants 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.Methods 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.Results 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.Conclusions 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.Trial registration number NCT04991337.",
  "authors": [
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Medical Research, Bærum Hospital, Vestre Viken Hospital Trust, Gjettum, Norway",
        "Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo Faculty of Medicine, Oslo, Norway"
      ],
      "name": "Turid Apelland"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Clinic of Cardiology, Trondheim University Hospital St Olav’s Hospital, Trondheim, Norway",
        "Department of Circulation and Medical Imaging, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway"
      ],
      "name": "Jon Magne Letnes"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "HEART Laboratory, St Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia",
        "Exercise and Nutrition Research Program, Australian Catholic University, Mary MacKillop Institute for Health Research, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia"
      ],
      "name": "Kristel Janssens"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium",
        "Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Biomedical Research Institute, Diepenbeek, Belgium",
        "Department of Cardiology, Jessa Hospital Hassel, Hasselt, Belgium"
      ],
      "name": "Guido Claessen"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo Faculty of Medicine, Oslo, Norway",
        "Department of Medical Research, Bærum sykehus, Gjettum, Norway"
      ],
      "name": "Arnljot Tveit"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Clinic of Cardiology, Trondheim University Hospital St Olav’s Hospital, Trondheim, Norway",
        "Department of Circulation and Medical Imaging, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway"
      ],
      "name": "Andreas Berg Sellevold"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "HEART Laboratory, St Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia"
      ],
      "name": "Amy Mitchell"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Cardiology, KU Leuven University Hospitals Leuven Gasthuisberg Campus, Leuven, Belgium",
        "Cardiovascular Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium"
      ],
      "name": "Rik Willems"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Medical Research, Bærum sykehus, Gjettum, Norway"
      ],
      "name": "Sophia Onarheim"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Medical Research, Bærum sykehus, Gjettum, Norway"
      ],
      "name": "Steve Enger"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Biomedical Research Institute, Diepenbeek, Belgium",
        "Ghent University Faculty of Sciences, Ghent, Belgium"
      ],
      "name": "Sevda Ece Kizilkilic"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Cardiology, University Hospital Antwerp, Edegem, Belgium"
      ],
      "name": "Hielko Miljoen"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Discipline of Physiology, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia",
        "Medical Research Institute, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia"
      ],
      "name": "Adrian Elliott"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Clinic of Cardiology, Trondheim University Hospital St Olav’s Hospital, Trondheim, Norway",
        "Department of Circulation and Medical Imaging, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway"
      ],
      "name": "Jan Pal Loennechen"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne Pty Ltd, Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia",
        "St Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research, Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia"
      ],
      "name": "Andre La Gerche"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Medical Research, Bærum sykehus, Gjettum, Norway"
      ],
      "name": "Marius Myrstad"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [],
      "name": "The NEXAF Investigators"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Arrhythmia burden, symptoms and quality of life in female and male endurance athletes with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation: a multicentre cohort study in Norway, Australia and Belgium",
  "uid": "672dee3e-3af5-527e-8381-a9e9455dfbae"
}