Recruiting

Exercise Training

Sponsor:

Ottawa Heart Institute Research Corporation

Code:

NCT03397602

Conditions

Atrial Fibrillation

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 40+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Interventions

standard care + moderate-intensity continuous exercise training

standard care + high-intensity interval training

Study Details

Brief summary:

The main purpose of this project is to evaluate the effects of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) compared to moderate-intensity continuous exercise training (MICE) and standard care on exercise capacity and quality of life in patients with persistent or permanent atrial fibrillation. Positive findings are vitally important for these patients, given the condition's substantial morbidity, mortality and high economic costs.

Conditions

Atrial Fibrillation

Study ID

NCT03397602

Start date

Jan 23, 2019

Status verified date

Mar, 2026

Completion date

Dec 30, 2037

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Dec 30, 2027

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 40+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Inclusion Criteria:

1. persistent or permanent atrial fibrillation;
2. rate controlled with a resting ventricular rate of equal to or less than 100 bpm;
3. able to perform a symptom-limited exercise test;
4. at least 40 years of age (i.e. participants must be 40 years or older);

Exclusion Criteria:

1. currently participating in routine exercise training (more than two times per week);
2. unstable angina;
3. diagnosed severe mitral or aortic stenosis;
4. diagnosed hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy with significant obstruction;
5. pregnant, lactating or planning to become pregnant during the study period;
6. unable to provide written, informed consent, or
7. unwilling or unable to return for follow up at week 12.

Study Design

Enrollment

132 participants

Anticipated

Allocation

Randomized

Intervention Model

Parallel Assignment

Primary purpose

Other

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

no intervention: standard care

Participants do not participate in a on site structured exercise training program.

experimental: standard care + MICE

standard care + moderate-intensity continuous exercise training (MICE)

experimental: standard care + HIIT

standard care + high-intensity interval training (HIIT)

Interventions

standard care + moderate-intensity continuous exercise training

Participants will attend on-site moderate-intensity continuous exercise training two times weekly for 12 weeks.

standard care + high-intensity interval training

Participants will attend on-site high-intensity interval training two times weekly for 12 weeks.

Primary outcome measure

  • Changes in quality of life measured by the physical component summary (PCS) measure of the Short Form 36 Health Survey Questionnaire (SF-36). [ Time Frame: baseline to 12 weeks ]
  • Changes in exercise capacity measured by VO2peak on a symptom-limited cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET). [ Time Frame: baseline to 12 weeks ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Jennifer L Reed, PhD

613-696-7392jreed@ottawaheart.ca

Matheus Mistura, MSc

613-696-7000mmistura@ottawaheart.ca

Locations

London Health Sciences Network

Recruiting

London, Ontario, Canada

University of Ottawa Heart Insititue

Recruiting

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K1Y 4W7

More Information

Sponsor

Ottawa Heart Institute Research Corporation

Last update posted

Mar 11, 2026

Last verified

Mar, 2026

Keywords

  • atrial fibrillation
  • exercise

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-10. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by Ottawa Heart Institute Research Corporation on 2026-03-11.