Sex differences in the prognosis of nonsustained ventricular tachycardia detected on Holter recording.

Background: Nonsustained ventricular tachycardia (NSVT) is a common finding during cardiac evaluation and has been linked to increased mortality. While some studies report a sex difference, most data stem from research cohorts.

Objective: This study aimed to assess the prognostic significance of NSVT in a real-life outpatient clinic, focusing on sex differences in mortality.

Atrial remodelling associated with sporting discipline, sex and duration in elite sports: a cross-sectional echocardiographic study among Danish elite athletes.

Background: Elite endurance training is characterised by a high-volume load of the heart and has been associated with atrial fibrillation (AF) in middle-aged men. We compared left atrial (LA) remodelling among elite athletes engaged in sports, categorised as having low, intermediate, and high cardiac demands.

Methods: This cross-sectional echocardiographic study of healthy elite athletes evaluated LA size and function measured as LA maximum volume (maxLAVi) and contraction strain.

Hemodynamic Response in Ascending Aorta Surgery Patients during Moderate Intensity Resistance Training.

Background: In patients undergoing ascending aortic surgery (AAS), postsurgical physical exercise with a safe and effective exercise prescription is recommended. Resistance training is associated with blood pressure (BP) elevations that may increase the risk of new aortic dissection or rupture. However, the acute hemodynamic response to resistance training for this patient group is unknown.

The effect of aerobic exercise training on asthma control in postmenopausal women (ATOM): a randomized controlled pilot study.

Objective: To evaluate if high-intensity interval training three times weekly for 12 weeks improves asthma control in overweight, postmenopausal women with uncontrolled, late-onset asthma.

Methods: The reported study is a randomized clinical pilot study (www.clinicaltrials.

Prolonged Endurance Exercise Increases Macrophage Content and Mitochondrial Respiration in Adipose Tissue in Trained Men.

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of prolonged endurance exercise on adipose tissue inflammation markers and mitochondrial respiration in younger and older men.

Methods: "Young" (aged 30 years, n = 7) and "old" (aged 65 years, n = 7) trained men were exposed to an exercise intervention of 15 consecutive days biking 7 to 9 hours/day at 63% and 65% of maximal heart rate (young and old, respectively), going from Copenhagen, Denmark to Palermo, Italy. Adipose tissue was sampled from both the gluteal and abdominal depot before and after the intervention.

Are statins making older persons weaker? A discontinuation study of muscular side effects.

Thirteen percent of the Danish population are treated with a statin-half of these are in primary prevention, and most are > 65 years old. Statins have known muscular side effects (i.e.

Cognitive-behavioural therapy reduces psychological distress in younger patients with cardiac disease: a randomized trial.

Aims: To test whether usual outpatient cardiac rehabilitation (CR) supplemented by a cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) intervention may reduce anxiety and depression compared with usual CR.

Methods And Results: In this multicentre randomized controlled trial, 147 cardiac patients (67% men, mean age 54 years, 92% with coronary artery disease) with psychological distress defined as a hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS) anxiety or depression score ≥8 were randomized to five sessions of group CBT plus usual CR (intervention, n = 74) or CR alone (control, n = 73). Patients with severe distress or a psychiatric diagnosis were excluded.

The COVID-19 in athletes (COVA) study: a national study on cardio-pulmonary involvement of SARS-CoV-2 infection among elite athletes.

Background: COVID-19 can cause cardiopulmonary involvement. Physical activity and cardiac complications can worsen prognosis, while pulmonary complications can reduce performance.

Aims: To determine the prevalence and clinical implications of SARS-CoV-2 cardiopulmonary involvement in elite athletes.

The motivation for physical activity is a predictor of VO2peak and is a useful parameter when determining the need for cardiac rehabilitation in an elderly cardiac population.

Background: Exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is an essential contributor to a successful recovery for elderly cardiac patients. The motivation for physical activity is a psychological parameter seldom described in secondary prevention, and it is plausible that motivation contributes to the differential effect of CR.

Purpose: To investigate if motivation, measured using the behavioural regulation in an exercise questionnaire (BREQ-2), predicts VO2peak in elderly cardiac patients before and after CR.

Extreme duration exercise affects old and younger men differently.

Aim & Methods: Extreme endurance exercise provides a valuable research model for understanding the adaptive metabolic response of older and younger individuals to intense physical activity. Here, we compare a wide range of metabolic and physiologic parameters in two cohorts of seven trained men, age 30 ± 5 years or age 65 ± 6 years, before and after the participants travelled ≈3000 km by bicycle over 15 days.

Results: Over the 15-day exercise intervention, participants lost 2-3 kg fat mass with no significant change in body weight.

Are Prolonged Ventricular Pauses in Atrial Fibrillation a Marker of Poor Prognosis?

Background: In patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), the long-term prognosis of long electrocardiographic pauses in the ventricular action is not well studied.

Methods: Consecutive Holter recordings in patients with AF (n = 200) between 2009 and 2011 were evaluated, focusing on pauses of at least 2.5 s.

Excessive supraventricular ectopic activity and risk of incident atrial fibrillation in a consecutive population referred to ambulatory cardiac monitoring.

Background: Excessive supraventricular ectopic activity (ESVEA), defined as ≥720 premature atrial contractions (PAC) per day or any runs of ≥20 PACs, has been proposed as a surrogate marker for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF).

Objective: We aimed to estimate the prognostic impact of ESVEA on the future development of PAF in consecutive patients referred to ambulatory cardiac monitoring.

Methods: The cohort consists of a population with comorbidities referred to 48-hour ambulatory electrocardiogram aged 30-98 (n = 1316) between 2009 and 2011.

Intensive group-based cognitive therapy in patients with cardiac disease and psychological distress-a randomized controlled trial protocol.

Background: Many patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and valvular heart disease (VHD) suffer from psychological distress. Such stress is associated with increased morbidity, reduced quality of life and delayed return to work. European guidelines emphasize recognition and intervention, but evidence-based treatment options are limited and perceived as costly.

Effect of aerobic exercise training on asthma control in postmenopausal women (the ATOM-study): protocol for an outcome assessor, randomised controlled trial.

Introduction: Late-onset asthma in postmenopausal women is characterised by poor disease control with daily symptoms and reduced quality of life despite treatment with inhaled antiasthma therapies. These patients represent a phenotype that is characterised by low eosinophilic airway inflammation, severe symptoms, moderate obesity and poor response to inhaled antiasthma therapies, which highlights the need of identification of alternative treatment strategies. Thus, this study aims to evaluate if regular high-intensity aerobic exercise improves symptom control in postmenopausal women with asthma.

Reopening elite sport during the COVID-19 pandemic: Experiences from a controlled return to elite football in Denmark.

As the SARS-CoV-2 infection rate decreased in spring 2020, phased reopening of Danish society began, including a reopening of elite football (soccer), adhering to a strict protocol. In this study, we report the consequences of resumption of competitive play in the two best football (soccer) leagues for men in Denmark measured by number of SARS-CoV-2 positive players. The players were tested weekly for SARS-CoV-2 for 11 consecutive weeks.

Effect of aerobic exercise training on asthma in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of aerobic exercise training on asthma control, lung function and airway inflammation in adults with asthma.

Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Methods: Randomised controlled trials investigating the effect of ≥8 weeks of aerobic exercise training on outcomes for asthma control, lung function and airway inflammation in adults with asthma were eligible for study.

Improvement in VO predicts readmissions for cardiovascular disease and mortality in patients undergoing cardiac rehabilitation.

Background: Improvement in exercise capacity is a main goal of cardiac rehabilitation but the effects are often lost at long-term follow-up and thus also the benefits on prognosis. We assessed whether improvement in VO during a cardiac rehabilitation programme predicts long-term prognosis.

Methods And Results: We performed a retrospective analysis of 1561 cardiac patients completing cardiac rehabilitation in 2011-2017 in Copenhagen.

Brief recommendations for participation in leisure time or competitive sports in athletes-patients with coronary artery disease: Summary of a Position Statement from the Sports Cardiology Section of the European Association of Preventive Cardiology (EAPC).

This paper presents a brief summary of the recommendations from the Sports Cardiology section of the European Association of Preventive Cardiology (EAPC) on sports-participation in patients with coronary artery disease, coronary artery anomalies or spontaneous dissection of the coronary arteries, all entities being associated with myocardial ischaemia. Given the wealth of evidence supporting the benefits of exercise for primary and secondary prevention of coronary artery disease, individuals should be restricted from competitive sport only when a substantial risk of adverse event or disease progression is present. These recommendations aim to encourage regular physical activity including participation in sports and, with reasonable precaution, ensure a high level of safety for all individuals with coronary artery disease.

Brief recommendations for participation in competitive sports of athletes with arterial hypertension: Summary of a Position Statement from the Sports Cardiology Section of the European Association of Preventive Cardiology (EAPC).

Owing to its undisputed multitude of beneficial effects, European Society of Cardiology guidelines advocate regular physical activity as a class IA recommendation for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease. Nonetheless, competitive athletes with arterial hypertension may be exposed to an increased risk of cardiovascular events. Guidance to physicians will be given in this summary of our recently published recommendations for participation in competitive sports of athletes with arterial hypertension.

Depression, Socioeconomic Factors, and Ethnicity as Predictors of Cardiorespiratory Fitness Before and After Cardiac Rehabilitation.

Purpose: To determine whether cardiac patients with psychosocial or socioeconomic problems have lower peak oxygen uptake ((Equation is included in full-text article.)O2peak) and whether these factors modify the effect of cardiac rehabilitation (CR).

Methods: A retrospective cohort study of patients with ischemic heart disease, valvular heart disease, or heart failure referred for CR.

2706 km cycling in 2 weeks: effects on cardiac function in 6 elderly male athletes.

Objectives: Physiological effects of exercise on trained and untrained individuals have been studied extensively. Typically, young or middle-aged individuals are examined before and after short periods of vigorous exertion.

Methods: We studied 6 elderly male athletes (61 ± 8 years (mean ± SD); baseline [Formula: see text]Omax 48 ± 5 ml·kg·min) with focus on cardiac function and biomarkers following 14 consecutive days of moderate intensity exercise.

Influence of type of sport on cardiac repolarization assessed by electrocardiographic T-wave morphology combination score.

Introduction: Interpreting repolarization changes in the electrocardiograms of athletes present a clinical challenge.

Aim: Assessment of cardiac repolarization by T-wave morphology using the Morphology Combination Score (MCS), and evaluate how this quantitative description of T-wave morphology was influenced by the sport performed.

Materials And Methods: Digital electrocardiograms of 469 young elite athletes were analyzed for T-wave asymmetry, flatness and notching, and combined in the MCS.

Repeated Excessive Exercise Attenuates the Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Exercise in Older Men.

A number of studies have investigated the effect of training with a moderate exercise dose (3-6 h/weekly) on the inflammatory profile in blood, and the data are inconsistent. Cross-sectional studies indicate a positive effect of physical activity level on inflammation levels and risk of metabolic disease. However, it is not clear whether this may be dose dependent and if very prolonged repeated exercise therefore may be beneficial for low-grade inflammation.