Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42368428›Full record

ArticleEuropean heart journal open2026

Association of self-reported sports volume and discipline with atrial arrhythmia prevalence in middle-aged males.

Jarne De Paepe, Astrid Witters, Ruben De Bosscher, Christophe Dausin, Rik Pauwels, Boris Delpire, Youri Bekhuis, Hein Heidbuchel, Guido Claessen, Andre La Gerche and 2 more

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In one paragraph

Article in European heart journal open, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
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

12 authors.

Jarne De PaepeDepartment of Cardiovascular Sciences, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, Leuven B-3000, Belgium.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1452-6276
Astrid WittersDepartment of Cardiovascular Sciences, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, Leuven B-3000, Belgium.
Ruben De BosscherDepartment of Cardiovascular Sciences, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, Leuven B-3000, Belgium.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3163-4781
Christophe DausinDepartment of Movement Sciences, KU Leuven, Tervuursevest 101, Leuven B-3001, Belgium.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7864-2968
Rik PauwelsDepartment of Cardiovascular Sciences, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, Leuven B-3000, Belgium.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0005-6287-5085
Boris DelpireDepartment of Cardiovascular Sciences, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, Leuven B-3000, Belgium.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1887-6919
Youri BekhuisDepartment of Cardiovascular Sciences, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, Leuven B-3000, Belgium.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3903-5051
Hein HeidbuchelDepartment of Cardiovascular Sciences, GENCOR, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, Antwerp 2610, Belgium.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9301-8127
Guido ClaessenDepartment of Cardiology, Hartcentrum, Jessa Ziekenhuis, Stadsomvaart 11, Hasselt 3500, Belgium.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8261-6666
Andre La GercheHeart, Exercise & Research Trials (HEART) Lab, St Vincent's Institute, Princes street 9, Melbourne, VIC 3065, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3906-3784
Rik WillemsDepartment of Cardiovascular Sciences, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, Leuven B-3000, Belgium.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5469-9609
Tomas RobynsDepartment of Cardiovascular Sciences, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, Leuven B-3000, Belgium.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8676-4874

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Aims: A J-shaped relationship between exercise and atrial fibrillation (AF) or atrial flutter (AFL) has been described, but the influence of specific sport disciplines is unknown. Purpose: To examine the relationship between endurance exercise and AF/AFL prevalence in middle-aged men. Methods and results: We analysed questionnaire data from 3939 candidates for the Master@Heart study, assessing self-reported exercise history, cardiovascular risk factors and history of AF/AFL. Participants were divided into quartiles of lifetime endurance exercise hours: Q1 ≤ 1778, Q2 1779-5977, Q3 5978-12231, and Q4 > 12 231 h. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to assess the relationship between exercise volume and type and AF/AFL. AF/AFL prevalence was 7.5% and increased significantly across lifetime exercise quartiles (4.8%, 7.6%, 8.0%, and 9.6% from Q1 to Q4; Conclusion: In middle-aged males, greater lifetime endurance exercise volume (>1778 h) was associated with progressively increased odds ratios of AF/AFL, with the greatest risk in the highest quartile (>12 231 h), independent of traditional risk factors. Cycling specifically was associated with AF/AFL. These findings support existing evidence that high-volume endurance exercise may increase AF/AFL risk, even in traditionally low-risk individuals, and furthermore suggest a possible sports-specific effect.

Indexed as

Athlete’s heartAtrial fibrillationEndurance exerciseSelf-reportedTraining load

Identifiers

PMID42368428
PMCPMC13310086

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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.