Exercise based cardiac rehabilitation for atrial fibrillation: Cochrane systematic review, meta-analysis, meta-regression and trial sequential analysis

Buckley, BJ ORCID: 0000-0002-1479-8872, Long, L, Lane, DA, Risom, S, Fitzhugh, CJ, Berg, SK, Palm, P, Sibilitz, KL, Svendsen, JH, Gluud, C, Zwisler, A-D, Lip, GYH, Neubeck, L and Taylor, RS (2025) Exercise based cardiac rehabilitation for atrial fibrillation: Cochrane systematic review, meta-analysis, meta-regression and trial sequential analysis. British Journal of Sports Medicine (BJSM). ISSN 0306-3674

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Abstract

Objective To undertake a contemporary review of the impact of exercise based cardiac rehabilitation (ExCR) for patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Data sources CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL, WoS Core Collection, LILACS and trial registers were searched from inception up to 24 March 2024. Eligibility criteria Randomised clinical trials (RCTs) comparing ExCR with any non-exercise control. Design Random effect meta-analyses presented as effect estimates and 95% CIs. Meta-regression examined study level effect modification. Cochrane risk of bias, GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) and trial sequential analysis (RTSA) were applied. Results 20 RCTs (n=2039) with a mean follow-up of 11 months showed that ExCR did not impact all cause mortality (8.3% vs 6.0%, relative risk (RR) 1.06, 95% CI 0.76 to 1.48) or serious adverse events (2.9% vs 4.1%, RR 1.30, 95% CI 0.66 to 2.56) but did reduce AF symptom severity (mean difference (MD) −1.61, 95% CI −3.06 to −0.16), AF burden (MD −1.61, 95% CI −2.76 to −0.45), episode frequency (MD −0.57, 95% CI −1.07 to −0.07), episode duration (MD −0.58, 95% CI −1.14 to −0.03), AF recurrence (RR 0.68, 95% CI 0.53 to 0.89), and improved exercise capacity (maximal oxygen consumption (VO2 peak) MD 3.18, 95% CI 1.05 to 5.31 mL/kg/min). There was benefit for the mental component but not the physical component of a health related quality of life questionnaire. No differential effects across AF subtype, ExCR dose, or mode of delivery were seen. Conclusion Meta-analyses of RCT evidence for ExCR in patients with AF demonstrated several clinical benefits without an increase in serious adverse events. GRADE and RTSA assessments indicated further high quality and adequately powered RCTs are needed.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	This article has been accepted for publication in British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2025 following peer review, and the Version of Record can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2024-109149
Uncontrolled Keywords:	32 Biomedical and Clinical Sciences; 3202 Clinical Sciences; 42 Health Sciences; Cardiovascular; Clinical Trials and Supportive Activities; Heart Disease; Rehabilitation; Clinical Research; 6.1 Pharmaceuticals; 6.7 Physical; Cardiovascular; 3 Good Health and Well Being; 09 Engineering; 11 Medical and Health Sciences; 13 Education; Sport Sciences; 3202 Clinical sciences; 4207 Sports science and exercise; 5201 Applied and developmental psychology
Subjects:	R Medicine > RC Internal medicine > RC1200 Sports Medicine
Divisions:	Sport and Exercise Sciences
Publisher:	BMJ
Date of acceptance:	3 June 2025
Date of first compliant Open Access:	8 August 2025
Date Deposited:	08 Aug 2025 14:44
Last Modified:	08 Aug 2025 14:45
DOI or ID number:	10.1136/bjsports-2024-109149
URI:	https://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/26913

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