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

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.