Effects of Exercise Training in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation and Sleep Apnea: A Pilot Study

Effects of Exercise Training in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation and Sleep Apnea: A Pilot Study

Background: There are still many gaps in research concerning the effect of different physical training modalities on sleep deprivation in the population with different types of sleep apnea. Aims: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of moderate-intensity interval training (MITT) on patients with different types of sleep apnea.

Methods: 15 Participants aged 45-65 years were randomized into two groups: obstructive sleep apnea group (OSA), and central sleep apnea group (CSA). The training lasted ten consecutive weeks with 30 uninterrupted sessions. The actigraph together with the Pittsburg sleep quality index (PSQI) was used in sleep quality assessment. The actigraph (Actiwatch Minimitter Company, Incorporated (INC) - Sunriver, OR, USA) was placed on the non-dominant wrist and activities were monitored continuously while being recorded at one-minute intervals. The participants kept the device for a period of 96 hours, filled PSQI, and did 6MWT before the first and last training sessions.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Patients who have AF confirmed by ECG
2. Their ages range from 45 and 65 years of age
3. Medically stable patients.
4. Current complaint of poor Sleep quality (SQ) (score > 5 of the SQ scale)
5. Patients who have OSA or CSA confirmed by polysomnography

Exclusion Criteria:

• Any patient was known to have any unstable medical condition;or with any known musculoskeletal or neurological conditions that might interfere with the execution or the assessment of the exercise, was excluded from the study.