Skeletal Muscle Mass as a Potential Mediator of the Physical Activity–Left Atrial Function Relationship: A Community-Based Cross-Sectional Study

Objectives

Left atrial (LA) strain reflects early cardiac dysfunction preceding structural remodeling and clinical disease. Data on the association between physical activity (PA) and LA function are limited. In this study, we aim to explore the association of PA with LA strain, and to test the indirect effect of skeletal muscle mass in the PA-LA association.

Methods

Data from the Healthy Lifestyle Promotion Cohort involving 407 participants were analyzed. Multivariate linear regression models were used to estimate the associations of leisure-time PA with LA function, and indirect associations through skeletal muscle mass were determined using a regression-based mediation analysis.

Results