TY - JOUR

T1 - Cardiac Rehabilitation for Patients Treated for Atrial Fibrillation With Ablation Has Long-Term Effects

T2 - 12-and 24-Month Follow-up Results From the Randomized CopenHeartRFA Trial

AU - Risom, Signe Stelling

AU - Zwisler, Ann Dorthe

AU - Sibilitz, Kirstine Lærum

AU - Rasmussen, Trine Bernholdt

AU - Taylor, Rod Stephen

AU - Thygesen, Lau Caspar

AU - Madsen, Trine Stougaard

AU - Svendsen, Jesper Hastrup

AU - Berg, Selina Kikkenborg

PY - 2020

Y1 - 2020

N2 - Objective: To assess outcomes at 12 and 24 months after participation in a multidisciplinary cardiac rehabilitation program plus usual care compared with usual care alone for patients treated for atrial fibrillation with catheter ablation. Design: Long-term follow-up on the randomized CopenHeartRFA trial. Setting: Patients were enrolled and outcome assessed at the hospital and the intervention were carried out at the hospital or at local rehabilitation centers. Participants: Patients (N=210) treated for atrial fibrillation with catheter ablation included in the CopenHeartRFA trial. Interventions: A 6-month cardiac rehabilitation program consisting of physical exercise and psychoeducational consultations plus usual care or usual care alone. Main Outcome Measures: Physical capacity was measured by peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) at 12 months, and patient-reported outcomes on perceived health, anxiety, and depression were collected by validated questionnaires at 12 and 24 months. Information on hospital admissions and mortality was collected through national registers up to 24 months. Results: Mean VO2peak was higher at 12 months in the cardiac rehabilitation group (cardiac rehabilitation group: 25.82 mL/kg/min vs usual care group, 22.43 mL/kg/min, P=.003). A lower proportion of patients had high levels of anxiety at 24 months in the cardiac rehabilitation group compared to usual care (12% vs 24%, P=.004). There was no difference in mortality or hospital admissions at 24 months between groups. Conclusions: This long-term follow-up of a comprehensive multidisciplinary cardiac rehabilitation program for patients treated for atrial fibrillation with catheter ablation found sustained improvements with respect to physical capacity and anxiety compared to usual care but no difference on mortality or hospital admission.

AB - Objective: To assess outcomes at 12 and 24 months after participation in a multidisciplinary cardiac rehabilitation program plus usual care compared with usual care alone for patients treated for atrial fibrillation with catheter ablation. Design: Long-term follow-up on the randomized CopenHeartRFA trial. Setting: Patients were enrolled and outcome assessed at the hospital and the intervention were carried out at the hospital or at local rehabilitation centers. Participants: Patients (N=210) treated for atrial fibrillation with catheter ablation included in the CopenHeartRFA trial. Interventions: A 6-month cardiac rehabilitation program consisting of physical exercise and psychoeducational consultations plus usual care or usual care alone. Main Outcome Measures: Physical capacity was measured by peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) at 12 months, and patient-reported outcomes on perceived health, anxiety, and depression were collected by validated questionnaires at 12 and 24 months. Information on hospital admissions and mortality was collected through national registers up to 24 months. Results: Mean VO2peak was higher at 12 months in the cardiac rehabilitation group (cardiac rehabilitation group: 25.82 mL/kg/min vs usual care group, 22.43 mL/kg/min, P=.003). A lower proportion of patients had high levels of anxiety at 24 months in the cardiac rehabilitation group compared to usual care (12% vs 24%, P=.004). There was no difference in mortality or hospital admissions at 24 months between groups. Conclusions: This long-term follow-up of a comprehensive multidisciplinary cardiac rehabilitation program for patients treated for atrial fibrillation with catheter ablation found sustained improvements with respect to physical capacity and anxiety compared to usual care but no difference on mortality or hospital admission.

KW - Atrial fibrillation

KW - Cardiac rehabilitation

KW - Patient readmission

KW - Patient reported outcome measures

KW - Quality of life

KW - Rehabilitation

U2 - 10.1016/j.apmr.2020.06.026

DO - 10.1016/j.apmr.2020.06.026

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 32750373

AN - SCOPUS:85089967201

VL - 101

SP - 1877

EP - 1886

JO - Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

JF - Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

SN - 0003-9993

IS - 11

ER -