Evidence map›Paper›PMID 26997209›Full record

SynthesisClinical cardiology2016

Sex Differences in the Association Between Regular Physical Activity and Incident Atrial Fibrillation: A Meta-analysis of 13 Prospective Studies.

Wen-Gen Zhu, Rong Wan, Ying Din, Zhenyan Xu, Xiaohui Yang, Kui Hong

Open access · bronzeAbstract readMeta-AnalysisReview
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Clinical cardiology, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 15 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
15citing papers in PubMed, 4 pooled it
4.0field-weighted citation impact, top 6% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

15 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 32 citations in OpenAlex.

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  6. Cardiovascular contributions to dementia: Examining sex differences and female-specific factors.Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association · 2025
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Wen-Gen ZhuCardiovascular Department, Second Affiliated Hospital to Nanchang University, Jiangxi, China.
Rong WanJiangxi Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Jiangxi, China.
Ying DinCardiovascular Department, Second Affiliated Hospital to Nanchang University, Jiangxi, China.
Zhenyan XuCardiovascular Department, Second Affiliated Hospital to Nanchang University, Jiangxi, China.
Xiaohui YangCardiovascular Department, Second Affiliated Hospital to Nanchang University, Jiangxi, China.
Kui HongCardiovascular Department, Second Affiliated Hospital to Nanchang University, Jiangxi, China.
Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University · CNNanchang University · CNJiangxi University of Technology · CN

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Several studies investigated the role of physical activity in atrial fibrillation (AF), but the results remain controversial. We aimed to estimate the association between physical activity and incident AF, as well as to determine whether a sex difference existed. We systematically retrieved relevant studies from Cochrane Library, PubMed, and ScienceDirect through December 1, 2015. Data were abstracted from eligible studies and effect estimates pooled using a random-effects model. Thirteen prospective studies fulfilled inclusion criteria. For primary analysis, neither total physical activity exposure (relative risk [RR]: 0.98, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.90-1.06, P = 0.62) nor intensive physical activity (RR: 1.07, 95% CI: 0.93-1.25, P = 0.41) was associated with a significant increased risk of AF. In the country-stratified analysis, the pooled results were not significantly changed. However, in the sex-stratified analysis, total physical activity exposure was associated with an increased risk of AF in men (RR: 1.18, 95% CI: 1.02-1.37), especially at age <50 years (RR: 1.58, 95% CI: 1.28-1.95), with a significantly reduced risk of AF in women (RR: 0.92, 95% CI: 0.87-0.97). Additionally, male individuals with intensive physical activity had a slightly higher (although statistically nonsignificant) risk of developing AF (RR: 1.12, 95% CI: 0.99-1.28), but there was a significantly reduced risk of incident AF in women (RR: 0.92, 95% CI: 0.86-0.98). Published literature supports a sex difference in the association between physical activity and incident AF. Increasing physical activity is probably associated with an increased risk of AF in men and a decreased risk in women.

Indexed as

ExerciseAdultAgedAged, 80 and overAtrial FibrillationChi-Square DistributionFemaleHumansIncidenceMaleMiddle AgedOdds RatioProspective StudiesProtective FactorsRisk AssessmentRisk Factors

Identifiers

PMID26997209
PMCPMC6490792
OpenAlexW2301490637

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.