Lockdown, slow down: impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on physical activity-an observational study

Abstract

Aims: In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the UK was placed under strict lockdown measures on 23 March 2020. The aim of this study was to quantify the effects on physical activity (PA) levels using data from the prospective Triage-HF Plus Evaluation study.

Methods: This study represents a cohort of adult patients with implanted cardiac devices capable of measuring activity by embedded accelerometery via a remote monitoring platform. Activity data were available for the 4 weeks pre-implementation and post implementation of 'stay at home' lockdown measures in the form of 'minutes active per day' (min/day).

Results: Data were analysed for 311 patients (77.2% men, mean age 68.8, frailty 55.9%. 92.2% established heart failure (HF) diagnosis, of these 51.2% New York Heart Association II), with comorbidities representative of a real-world cohort.Post-lockdown, a significant reduction in median PA equating to 20.8 active min/day was seen. The reduction was uniform with a slightly more pronounced drop in PA for women, but no statistically significant difference with respect to age, body mass index, frailty or device type. Activity dropped in the immediate 2-week period post-lockdown, but steadily returned thereafter. Median activity week 4 weeks post-lockdown remained significantly lower than 4 weeks pre-lockdown (p≤0.001).

Conclusions: In a population of predominantly HF patients with cardiac devices, activity reduced by approximately 20 min active per day in the immediate aftermath of strict COVID-19 lockdown measures.

Trial registration number: NCT04177199.

Keywords: COVID-19; artificial; defibrillators; heart failure; implantable; pacemaker.

Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests: JKT has previously filled a research post funded by Medtronic, is currently funded by the British Heart Foundation, and receives support as a Peter Mount awardee at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust. The sponsor/ funder and industry did not have any role in the data analysis or manuscript content. FA has previously received a research grant funded by Medtronic. FA has received consultancy fees from Astrazeneca, Medtronic, Pfizer, Pharmacosmos, Servier and Vifor. MD has no relevant disclosures.

© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2021. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.

Figures

Figure 1

Physical activity pre-first and post-first UK lockdown by age, gender and BMI. Note only 16 participants with BMI

Figure 2

Physical activity pre-first and post-first UK lockdown by frailty, IMD, NYHA and device type. Note NYHA class IV not included as n=1. IMD, index of multiple deprivation; NYHA, New York Heart Association Functional Classification; PA, physical activity.