Athlete’s heart is characterised by structural, functional, and electrical remodelling. During an exercise session, the heart increases the use of oxygen, which is associated with decreased vascular resistance in the lungs’ circulation. Left ventricular hypertrophy is an echocardiographic modification especially met in endurance athlete’s heart. Moreover, left atrial dilatation represents another important characteristic of endurance athletes. Electrical modulation in the athletic heart induces neurological modifications leading to sinus arrhythmia, bradycardia, early repolarisation, and first-grade atrioventricular (AV) blocks. Athletes' nutritional status involves the assimilation of macronutrients such as proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. Depending on the duration of physical exercise, ATP can be obtained in aerobic or anaerobic conditions. This systematic review aims to find correlations between different evaluative methods of cardiac adaptation and present the metabolism in performance athletes.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained arrhythmia. AF catheter ablation (CA) is superior to antiarrhythmic drugs (AAD) therapy in maintaining sinus rhythm. However, not much is known regarding the optimal timing of the ablation. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted using PubMed, Embase, and Scopus, focusing on studies published from 2013 until 2022 and including both observational studies and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with patients undergoing ablation for symptomatic paroxysmal or persistent AF using radiofrequency, cryoablation, or both approaches, studies that reported diagnosis-to-ablation time (DAT), a follow-up period, AF recurrence, or AF burden. Studies that included a surgical ablation, a hybrid ablation approach, or an ablation for arrhythmias other than AF were excluded. Left atrial diameter and ejection fraction (EF) were assessed. Results: Ten studies were selected out of 1387 identified records. After a follow-up period of one year, the early ablation subgroup had a lower mean AF recurrence rate (29.8%) compared to that of the delayed ablation subgroup (39.5%). The median AF recurrence rate was in the radiofrequency ablation group (44.5%), in the cryoablation group (27.3%). In studies that included paroxysmal AF patients exclusively, the AF recurrence rate was directly proportional to the DAT. Conclusions: Our results suggest that DAT correlates with a recurrence rate at one year following AF CA, and that the shorter the DAT the better the outcome, particularly in paroxysmal AF population.