To examine the effects of different physical exercise protocols (aerobic training and resistance training) on cardio-vascular efficiency and quality of life in a population of breast cancer survivors (BCS), not treated with chemotherapy.
The present study enrolled a population of BCS women who underwent surgical treatment for breast cancer at the "Ospedale G. Bernabeo" of Ortona, Chieti, Italy. The participants were randomized to the following physical exercise protocols: aerobic training, walking or Nordic walking; resistance training. All the participants have been examined utilizing transthoracic echocardiography, carotid ultrasound and photo-plethysmographic method for the analysis of arterial stiffness, before and after the physical exercise protocol (T0-T1). The two-dimensional speckle-tracking analysis was performed with an offline, dedicated software from the apical 4-chambers-view. Moreover, ventricular-arterial coupling, epicardial fat thickness and intima-media thickness were also analyzed. Quality of life was assessed using SF-36 score at T0, T1 and at a mean follow-up of 34 months. Moreover, at follow-up, we evaluated spontaneous physical activity and cardiovascular quality of life using IPAQ and SAQ-7 scores.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
57
Improvement of cardio-vascular efficiency
A composite of the improvement in the following parameters, from pre-treatment values: global longitudinal strain analysis, as assessed by speckle-traking echocardiography; ventricular-arterial coupling, as assessed by echocardiographic single beat method; arterial stiffness (pulse wave velocity, augmentation index), as assessed by photoplethysmographic method
Time frame: 12-weeks (from the beginning of physical exercise training)
Epicardial fat thickness reduction
A reduction in epicardial fat thickness evaluated with echocardiographic method
Time frame: 12-weeks (from the beginning of physical exercise training)
Intima-media thickness reduction
A reduction in epicardial fat thickness evaluated with ultrasonographic method
Time frame: 12-weeks (from the beginning of physical exercise training)
Improvement of quality of life
An improvement of quality of life, from pre-treatment values, evaluated with the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (minimum value: 0, associated with the worst quality of life; maximum value: 100, associated with the best quality of life)
Time frame: 12-weeks (from the beginning of physical exercise training); a mean of 34 months from the enrollment
Improvement of spontaneous physical activity
An improvement of spontaneous physical activity evaluated with International Physical Activity Questionnaire score (0-700 MET: low level of physical activity; 700-2519 MET: intermediate level of physical activity; \> 2520 MET: high level of physical activity)
Time frame: a mean of 34 months from the enrollment
Improvement of cardiovascular quality of life
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An improvement of quality of life evaluated with the Seattle Angina Questionnaire-7 score (minimum value: 0, associated with more symptoms and with the worst quality of life; maximum value: 100, associated with fewer symptoms and with the best quality of life) where higher scores indicate fewer symptoms and higher health-related quality of life
Time frame: a mean of 34 months from the enrollment