Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Risk of Incident Atrial Fibrillation: Results From the Henry Ford Exercise Testing (FIT) Project
Recommended Citation
Qureshi WT, Alirhayim Z, Blaha MJ, Juraschek SP, Keteyian SJ, Brawner CA, Al-Mallah MH. Cardiorespiratory fitness and risk of incident atrial fibrillation: Results from the henry ford exercise tesing (fit) project. Circulation. 2015;131(21):1827-34.
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
5-26-2015
Publication Title
Circulation
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Poor cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. However, the relationship between CRF and atrial fibrillation (AF) is less clear. The aim of this analysis was to investigate the association between CRF and incident AF in a large, multiracial cohort that underwent graded exercise treadmill testing.
METHODS AND RESULTS: From 1991 to 2009, a total of 64 561 adults (mean age, 54.5±12.7 years; 46% female; 64% white) without AF underwent exercise treadmill testing at a tertiary care center. Baseline demographic and clinical variables were collected. Incident AF was ascertained by use of International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision code 427.31 and confirmed by linkage to medical claim files. Nested, multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate the independent association of CRF with incident AF. During a median follow-up of 5.4 years (interquartile range, 3-9 years), 4616 new cases of AF were diagnosed. After adjustment for potential confounders, 1 higher metabolic equivalent achieved during treadmill testing was associated with a 7% lower risk of incident AF (hazard ratio, 0.93; 95% confidence interval, 0.92-0.94; P
CONCLUSIONS: There is a graded, inverse relationship between cardiorespiratory fitness and incident AF, especially among obese patients. Future studies should examine whether changes in fitness increase or decrease risk of atrial fibrillation. This association was stronger for obese compared with nonobese, especially among obese patients.
Medical Subject Headings
Adult; Aged; Atrial Fibrillation; Atrial Flutter; Body Mass Index; Chronic Disease; Comorbidity; Confounding Factors (Epidemiology); Coronary Disease; Diabetes Mellitus; Dyslipidemias; Ethnic Groups; Exercise Test; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Hypertension; Incidence; Lung Diseases; Male; Michigan; Middle Aged; Obesity; Physical Fitness; Proportional Hazards Models; Risk; Risk Factors; Thyroid Diseases
PubMed ID
25904645
Volume
131
Issue
21
First Page
1827
Last Page
1834
