title: Does long-lasting sports practice increase the risk of atrial fibrillation in healthy middle-aged men? Weak suggestions, no objective evidence.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Some authors have suggested that sports activity can increase the risk of atrial fibrillation in healthy middle-aged men. Therefore, sport activity, although it prevents coronary artery disease, might be the cause of a potentially dangerous arrhythmia.
  
  
  METHODS
  To verify this assumption, we critically analyzed the current literature including original articles, reviews and meta-analyses.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  All published articles showed several limitations. The data provided by published studies support the following conclusions: the incidence of atrial fibrillation in sporting middle-aged men is rare (<0.5% per year); a possible facilitating effect on atrial fibrillation is limited to vigorous endurance exercise, not to less vigorous sports; there are no convincing data to demonstrate that sport itself may be the cause of atrial fibrillation in healthy middle-aged men; and a facilitating effect of long-lasting sport cannot be excluded in middle-aged individuals with cardiovascular disorders. Nevertheless, the beneficial effects of exercise should offset this supposed risk, which, albeit increased, remains low.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, S. Maria dei Battuti Hospital, Conegliano, Italy. pietro.delise@libero.it
authors.forename: Pietro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Delise
authors.forename: Nadir
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sitta
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Berton
mesh_terms: D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D015444:Exercise; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D013177:Sports; D013997:Time Factors