Experience from controlled trials of physical training in chronic heart failure. Protocol and patient factors in effectiveness in the improvement in exercise tolerance

发表于：European Heart Journal · 年份：1998 · DOI：10.1053/euhj.1997.0736 · 被引用次数：216 · 研究领域：Cardiovascular and exercise physiology、Cardiovascular Function and Risk Factors、Heart Failure Treatment and Management

BACKGROUND: Beneficial effects of physical training on exercise tolerance, autonomic and skeletal muscle function and limb blood flow have been demonstrated in chronic heart failure. Because this rehabilitation is expensive, may involve risk, and has unknown effects on prognosis, the possibility of predicting benefit on the basis of individual patient data is intriguing. The most suitable exercise training programme has not yet been established. METHODS AND RESULTS: We reviewed the progress of 134 stable heart failure patients studied in randomized controlled trials of physical training. A significant training effect (+13% peak oxygen consumption, +17% exercise duration) was associated with improved autonomic indices (resting catecholamines and hormones, heart rate variability), without significant side-effects. No ventilatory, haemodynamic, autonomic or clinical factor at baseline was a predictor of outcome. Similar beneficial effects were observed in both male and female patients. The improvement in oxygen consumption after 16 weeks training was higher than after 6 weeks (+2.6 +/- 3.0 vs +0.3 +/- 3.1 ml.kg.min-1, P < 0.05). The combination of cycle ergometer with calisthenic exercises was more beneficial than cycle ergometer alone (+2.7 +/- 4.2 vs 1.2 +/- 2.0 ml.kg.min-1, P < 0.01). The presence of nonsustained ventricular tachycardia did not preclude a training effect. Patients older than 70 years were able to train, although less effectively than the younger ones. No diff...