Impact of increased physical activity in patients after pulmonary vein isolation - BE-ACTION trial

Abstract

Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: Public grant(s) – National budget only. Main funding source(s): Medical School Brandenburg and Local Government Concil Brandenburg Background Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) is one of the key therapies for patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), however, there are numerous recurrences after ablation. Improving cardiorespiratory fitness (CF) may result in fewer recurrences of AF. The aim of the present study (Brandenburg Enhance ACTIvity ONset after pulmonary vein isolation - BE-ACTION) was to evaluate the impact of increased physical activity in patients after PVI on the recurrence of AF. Methods From January 2018 to April 2021, 200 patients with scheduled PVI were randomized at 4 different centres and fitted with an activity tracker for 24-hour activity monitoring via mobile phone. Patients aged between 50 and 77 years with a BMI between 23 and 35 kg/m2 were included. Patients with orthopaedic limitations were excluded. Patients in the ACTION group (n=99) were contacted regularly by telephone by a physical therapist and intensively motivated if the steps fell below 6,000 steps per day. Patients in the No-ACTION group (n=101) received standard of care. A loop recorder was implanted in 74 patients; those who refused loop recorder implantation underwent 7-day Holter monitoring at 6 and 12 months after PVI. Recurrence was defined as any atrial arrhythmia >30 sec, cardioversion or need of redo ablation after blanking period (3 month) up to 12 month. Results The number of steps per day increased in all pts from 7,918 (5,725-10,989) at week 2 after PVI to 9,511 (7,230-12,800) at 6 months and to 9,788 (6,962-12,152) at 12 months (p<0.001; Friedman), figure 1. In the ACTION group, the number of steps per day continued to increase between 6 and 12 months, whereas it decreased in the No-ACTION group. In total, recurrence of arrhythmia was found in 58 patients (29.9%: 31 patients with loop recorder, 14 with Holter monitoring and 13 with ECG). Recurrence occurred in 24 patients (25%) in the ACTION group and 34 patients (35%) in the No-ACTION group (p=0.140), table 1. Conclusion The level of daily physical activity was unexpectedly high in this study. The use of an activity tracker led to an increased daily physical activity in patients with AF after PVI. A further increase of activity did not reduce the recurrence of atrial arrhythmia in the ACTION group.