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Effects of cardiac rehabilitation program on exercise capacity and chronotropic variables in patients with orthotopic heart transplant

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Abstract

Aim

To evaluate the effects of home- and hospital-exercise programs on exercise capacity and chronotropic variables in patients with heart transplantation.

Methods

Forty patients were randomized into two groups either hospital- or home-based exercise program. The patients were compared, before and after the rehabilitation program, with respect to maximal oxygen uptake (pVO2), chronotropic variables [heart rate reserve (HRRe), heart rate recovery (HRR1), and chronotropic response index (CRI)] and Duke Treadmill Score (DTS).

Results

Hospital-based exercise group has shown a significant recovery in post-exercise pVO2 (pre-exercise 16.73 ± 3.9 ml/kg/min, post-exercise 19.53 ± 3.89 ml/kg/min, P = 0.002) and DTS (pre-exercise 4.74 ± 1.17, post-exercise 5.61 ± 1.11, P = 0.002). A significant recovery in favor of the hospital-based exercise group was found in HRRe (pre-exercise 26.9 ± 14.6, post-exercise 34.6 ± 14.6, P = 0.01). No significant change was observed in HRR1 (pre-exercise −1.38 ± 1.04, post-exercise −1.21 ± 1.89, P = 0.49) and CRI (pre-exercise 0.44 ± 0.23, post-exercise 0.48 ± 0.20, P = 0.15) in hospital-based exercise group. No significant change was observed in any parameters of home-based group (P > 0.05).

Conclusion

A significant recovery was observed both in the functional capacity and the chronotropic response in hospital-based exercise program. Exercise programs that are planned to be performed under supervision in rehabilitation units are useful for the patients with heart transplant in terms of the exercise capacity and chronotropic variables.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, Ege University, 35100, Bornova, Izmir, Turkey

    Hale Karapolat, Sibel Eyigor MD & Berrin Durmaz MD

  2. Department of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey

    Mehdi Zoghi MD & Sanem Nalbantgil MD

  3. Department of Cardiac Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey

    Tahir Yagdi MD & Mustafa Ozbaran MD

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  1. Hale Karapolat
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  2. Sibel Eyigor MD
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Correspondence to Hale Karapolat.

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Karapolat, H., Eyigor, S., Zoghi, M. et al. Effects of cardiac rehabilitation program on exercise capacity and chronotropic variables in patients with orthotopic heart transplant. Clin Res Cardiol 97, 449–456 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00392-008-0648-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00392-008-0648-7

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