An observational study in Atrial Fibrillation (AF), sponsored by University of Leicester. Not yet recruiting at 1 site in United Kingdom. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2025-02-25.
Sponsored by University of Leicester · Observational
Exercise is beneficial to heart health, however, there appears to be a 'U' shaped relationship where too much exercise may increase the risk of an irregular heart rhythm, called atrial fibrillation. Endurance athletes may have up to a 2.5-fold higher risk of developing atrial fibrillation than non-athletic controls.
The mechanisms behind this increased risk of atrial fibrillation are not the well understood. It is thought to be a mixture of enlarged heart chambers, low resting heart rate, genetic predisposition and possibly scarring in the heart. In this study, the investigators will investigate the electrical activity changes in the heart, using a high-quality electrocardiogram (ECG) and relate this to changes in the heart size measured by ultrasound and MRI. Cardiopulmonary exercise testing will determine fitness (V̇O2 max) and assess the heart's electrical activity during exercise.
This will be a case-control study where athletes with and without atrial fibrillation will be recruited. The investigators hope the results of this study can improve our understanding of atrial fibrillation in athletes by associating atrial fibrillation with structural and electrical differences which may aid the prediction of future atrial fibrillation development and help guide more athlete-specific treatment pathways.
3,870 studies on the registry are indexed under Atrial Fibrillation; 923 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 200 is below the median of 300 across 1,362 observational studies indexed under Atrial Fibrillation.
Browse Atrial Fibrillation studies →University of Leicester is the lead sponsor of 166 studies on the registry; 51 are open to participants now.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Endurance athletes with and without atrial fibrillation from across the United Kingdom. Recruitment through social media, sports clubs, and word of mouth.
Competitive athlete. Defined as:
Exclusion Criteria:
History of pre-existing cardiovascular disease :
Athletes with atrial fibrillation.
Athletes without atrial fibrillation.
High-resolution ECG
Using high quality ECG, assess whether subtle differences can be detected in athletes with AF, compared to athletes without AF, and whether machine learning could predict new-onset AF. Detection of subtle differences in p wave parameters (duration, amplitude, dispersion, PTFV1) in athletes with AF compared to athletes without AF. AUC, specificity and sensitivity.
Time frame: At study visit
AI classification and prediction
Assess the accuracy of using machine learning to identify athletes with AF using ECG data. AUC, specificity and sensitivity of machine learning identification of AF.
Time frame: At study visit
72hr heart rate monitoring
Compare autonomic tone via heart rate variability from 72-hour continuous ECG monitoring in athletes with and without AF. Analysis of RR intervals from heart rate variability.
Time frame: At study visit
Electronic stethoscope recording
Compare the heart sounds using electronic stethoscope in athletes with and without AF. S1 and S2 sounds of heart valves.
Time frame: At study visit
Cardiac imaging
Left ventricular mass
Time frame: At study visit
Cardiac imaging
Left ventricular volume
Time frame: At study visit
Cardiac imaging
Strain rate
Time frame: At study visit
Cardiac imaging
Myocardial perfusion reserve
Time frame: At study visit
Cardiac imaging
Myocardial interstitial fibrosis
Time frame: At study visit
Cardiac imaging
Left atrial mass
Time frame: At study visit
Cardiac imaging
Left atrial volume
Time frame: At study visit
Cardiac imaging
Vascular stiffness
Time frame: At study visit
Cardiac imaging
Left ventricular filling pressure
Time frame: At study visit
Cardiac imaging
Tissue Doppler velocity
Time frame: At study visit
Cardiopulmonary exercise testing
Peak VO2
Time frame: At study visit
Cardiopulmonary exercise testing
Exercising p wave duration
Time frame: At study visit
Cardiopulmonary exercise testing
Exercising p wave amplitude
Time frame: At study visit
Cardiopulmonary exercise testing
Exercising p wave dispersion
Time frame: At study visit
Cardiopulmonary exercise testing
Exercising p wave PTFV1
Time frame: At study visit
Cardiac motion recording
Cardiac angular velocity
Time frame: At study visit
Plan to share: No — Individual participant identifiable data will not be shared. Imaging scans anonymised may be shared with future potential collaborators.
No publications or documents are linked to this record.
This study is not yet recruiting, as verified in Feb 2025. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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University of Leicester