Early 4-Week Cardiac Rehabilitation Exercise Training in... : Journal of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation and Prevention (original) (raw)

CARDIAC REHABILITATION

Early 4-Week Cardiac Rehabilitation Exercise Training in Elderly Patients After Heart Surgery

Eder, Barbara PhD; Hofmann, Peter PhD; von Duvillard, Serge P. PhD; Brandt, Dieter MD; Schmid, Jean-Paul MD; Pokan, Rochus MD; Wonisch, Manfred MD, PhD

Center for Cardiac Rehabilitation, PVA SKA St. Radegund, Graz, Austria (Drs Eder, Brandt, and Wonisch); Institute of Sports Sciences, Human Performance Research, Karl-Franzens University Graz & Medical University Graz, Austria (Dr Hofmann); Department of Sport Science and Kinesiology, University of Salzburg, Austria (Dr Duvillard); Swiss Cardiovascular Centre Bern, Cardiovascular Prevention & Rehabilitation, University Hospital, Switzerland (Dr Schmid); and Institute of Sports Science, University of Vienna, Austria (Dr Pokan).

Corresponding Author: Manfred Wonisch, MD, PhD, Center for Cardiac Rehabilitation, PVA SKA, St Radegund, Graz, Quellenstr.1, A-8061 St Radegund, Austria ([email protected]).

Journal of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation and Prevention 30(2):p 85-92, March 2010. | DOI: 10.1097/HCR.0b013e3181be7e32

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to assess the effects on exercise performance of supplementing a standard cardiac rehabilitation program with additional exercise programming compared to the standard cardiac rehabilitation program alone in elderly patients after heart surgery.

METHODS

In this prospective, randomized controlled trial, 60 patients (32 men and 28 women, mean age 73.1 ± 4.7 years) completed cardiac rehabilitation (initiated 12.2 ± 4.9 days postsurgery). Subjects were assigned to either a control group (CG, standard cardiac rehabilitation program [n = 19]), or an intervention group (IG, additional walking [n = 19], or cycle ergometry training [n = 22]). A symptom limited cardiopulmonary exercise test and 6-minute walk test (6MWT) were performed before and after 4 weeks of cardiac rehabilitation. The MacNew questionnaire was used to assess quality of life (QOL).

RESULTS

At baseline, no significant differences for peak oxygen uptake (V̇O2), maximal power output, or the 6MWT were detected between IG and CG. Global QOL was significantly higher in IG. After 4 weeks of cardiac rehabilitation, patients significantly improved in absolute values of the cardiopulmonary exercise test, 6MWT, and QOL scores. Significant differences between groups were found for peak V̇O2 (IG: 18.2 ± 3.1 mL·kg−1·min−1 vs. CG: 16.5 ± 2.2 mL·kg−1·min−1, P < .05); maximal power output (IG: 72.2 ± 16 W vs. CG: 60.7 ± 15 W, P < .05); 6MWT (IG: 454.8 ± 76.3 m vs. CG: 400.5 ± 75.5 m, P < .05); and QOL global (IG: 6.5 ± 0.5 vs. CG: 6.3 ± 0.6, P < .05).

CONCLUSION

The supplementation of additional walking or cycle exercise training to standard cardiac rehabilitation programming compared to standard cardiac rehabilitation alone in elderly patients after heart surgery leads to significantly better exercise tolerance.