Physical Activity Among Patients With Intracardiac Remote Monitoring Devices Before, During, and After COVID-19–Related Restrictions

“Unlocking Physical Activity” During COVID-19 in Cardiac Device Patients

“… 8 Despite some studies indicating a return to pre-lockdown PA levels, among a group of CEID patients in New York City and Minneapolis-Saint Paul area (N = 11 102), median reductions in PA during the lockdown ranged from 14 min (15%) to 26 min (26%) compared with pre-lockdown levels, and reductions were found to persist for as much as 5 mo after restrictions were lifted. 9 These findings emphasize the long-lasting consequences of COVID-related lockdowns and the potential need for providers to target and encourage PA engagement among this patient population.…”

Onset of the COVID-19 pandemic reduced active time in patients with implanted cardiac devices

“…Our implantable cardiac device patients demonstrated more sedentary time as a result of the pandemic, mirroring the Italian experience, though they were subject to less strict lockdown mandates in the United States. Two additional studies have recently been published with larger data sets containing both ICD and PPM data, one from North Carolina (N = 3453) and another from New York and Minnesota (N = 9924) [ 60 , 61 ]. Both studies observed a decline in physical activity during the pandemic lockdowns, with activity remaining low several months after restrictions were lifted [ 60 , 61 ].…”

“…Two additional studies have recently been published with larger data sets containing both ICD and PPM data, one from North Carolina (N = 3453) and another from New York and Minnesota (N = 9924) [ 60 , 61 ]. Both studies observed a decline in physical activity during the pandemic lockdowns, with activity remaining low several months after restrictions were lifted [ 60 , 61 ]. Our data adds to this growing body of literature, providing further objective evidence documenting the negative impact of the pandemic on individual activity levels.…”

“…This finding merits additional investigation. Persistent functional decline has been shown in a significant number of older adults patients after 1 year of increased inactivity such as after a major, nonemergent abdominal or thoracic surgery as well as in the months following the COVID lockdowns [ 60 , 61 , 63 ]. Whether more robust evidence will be found linking reduced activity levels due to COVID-19 lockdowns and significant adverse events remains to be seen and warrants additional consideration.…”

COVID-19: Insights into long-term manifestations and lockdown impacts

“…Similar to the majority of the findings in healthy individuals, a significant decline in PA and an increase in SB were reported in CVD patients during the lockdown ( Table 6 ). 172 , 205 , 206 , 207 , 208 , 209 , 210 , 211 A large, accelerometer-based observational study was done on patients in New York City (NYC) and Minneapolis/Saint Paul (MSP) who had pacemakers and implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICD); it showed a 26% reduction in PA in NYC and a 15% reduction in MSP during the lockdown. 210 The decrease in PA was most pronounced within the first 2 weeks of the regional lockdown; it increased slowly but did not return to pre-restriction levels 5 months after the lockdown ended.…”