Atrial Fibrillation and the Risk of Stroke in Veteran athLETES: a Pilot Cardiac and Cerebral Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study - AFLETES-MRI

Status: Recruiting
Location: See location...
Intervention Type: Diagnostic test
Study Type: Observational
SUMMARY

Participation in exercise improves cardiovascular health. However, long-term endurance exercise may increase the risk of an irregular heart rhythm called atrial fibrillation (AF). In AF, blood flow is altered, increasing the risk of clot formation in the heart which may enter the circulation and cause a stroke. The risk of stroke can be reduced with the use of blood thinning medication. Athletes with atrial fibrillation, due to their healthy lifestyle, are generally felt to be at low risk of stroke and many would not be offered blood thinning treatment using risk scores used in clinical practice. In a recent survey of almost one thousand athletes, the investigators found that there was an increased risk of stroke in those with atrial fibrillation, even in those without other risk factors for stroke. To further investigate these findings, this study will use MRI scanning to look at the hearts and brains of athletes aged between 40-64 years old. The researchers will assess athletes with and without atrial fibrillation, as well as some athletes with atrial fibrillation who have had a stroke previously. The MRI scans will measure heart size and function as well as blood flow patterns in the heart. The study will determine whether athletes with atrial fibrillation have evidence of stroke on brain MRI and whether these are related to abnormal flow patterns. The results will help us decide whether a larger study should be performed.

Eligibility
Participation Requirements
Sex: Male
Minimum Age: 40
Maximum Age: 64
Healthy Volunteers: t
View:

• Male, atrial fibrillation.

• 40-64 years of age at the time of enrolment.

• Primarily (≥50% of competition) competes in an endurance type sport as defined by European Society of Cardiology 2020 guidelines.

• Competitive athlete\*

• CHA2-DS2-VAsc =0/1 (excluding previous stroke).

⁃ Competitive athlete defined by having trained ≥10 years, 6 hours per week as a self-reported average and having participated in at least one competitive event at regional level or above.

Locations
Other Locations
United Kingdom
Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leicester
RECRUITING
Leicester
Contact Information
Primary
Susil Pallikadavath, MRCP(UK), MBChB(hons), BSc
susil.pallikadavath@leicester.ac.uk
0116 252 2522
Time Frame
Start Date: 2024-01-22
Estimated Completion Date: 2024-09-30
Participants
Target number of participants: 64
Treatments
Athletes with atrial fibrillation without diagnosed stroke.
Athletes without atrial fibrillation.
Athletes with atrial fibrillation and a diagnosed stroke.
Healthy, non-athlete controls.
Related Therapeutic Areas
Sponsors
Leads: University of Leicester

This content was sourced from clinicaltrials.gov