This study aimed to compare the effects of tele-cardiac rehabilitation (TCR) and hospital-based cardiac rehabilitation (HBCR) on functional capacity (maximum oxygen consumption), fear of activity and quality of life in patients with coronary artery disease. CAD). The rehabilitation program included patient-specific aerobic and peripheral muscle strengthening exercises for four weeks and 3 sessions per week. While the HBCR group performed the exercise program under supervision in the cardiac rehabilitation (CR) unit, the TCR group performed the exercise program at home/outdoors using a Polar H9 heart rate monitor and elastic band.
This prospective, patient-preference, controlled study aimed to investigate the comparative effects of tele-cardiac rehabilitation (TCR) and hospital-based cardiac rehabilitation (HBCR) on functional capacity, fear of activity, and quality of life in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). The study was conducted between February 2022 and May 2024 at the university's Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department. Patients were enrolled based on specific inclusion and exclusion criteria, including stable CAD and adequate technological access for TCR participation. The study design allowed participants to choose between TCR and HBCR after receiving information about both programs, reflecting real-life clinical decision-making scenarios. Both rehabilitation programs lasted for four weeks, with three exercise sessions per week. In the HBCR group, patients underwent supervised exercise sessions in the cardiac rehabilitation (CR) unit, including individualized aerobic and resistance training. Aerobic exercises were based on the patient's peak VO2 from a baseline cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET), aiming to achieve 60-80% of the maximum heart rate. Resistance training involved the use of elastic bands targeting major muscle groups, with a progressive increase in repetitions based on patient tolerance. The TCR group received a home-based exercise program that included aerobic and resistance training. Aerobic exercises, such as walking, were performed for 30 minutes, three times a week, monitored via a Polar H9 heart rate device. Patients were instructed to maintain heart rates within the same range as the HBCR group. Resistance exercises were similar to those in the HBCR group, using elastic bands provided at the beginning of the study. Weekly remote follow-ups were conducted via phone calls to assess adherence, review heart rate data, and provide encouragement. Initial and final evaluations included the CPET, the Coronary Artery Disease-Specific Activity Fear Scale (AKKOR-KAH), and the WHOQOL-BREF Quality of Life Questionnaire. Outcome measures assessed changes in peak oxygen consumption (VO2 max), exercise capacity, quality of life, and fear of activity.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Purpose
HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
40
Aerobic and strengthening exercise program at home/outdoors at least three days a week for four weeks using a Polar H9 heart rate monitor and elastic band.
The aerobic and strengthening exercise program three days a week for four weeks under supervision in our cardiopulmonary rehabilitation unit.
Psychosocial support for physical activity counselling, heart-healthy diet, referral for smoking cessation and stress management.
Calls once a week that include symptom inquiries and encouraging feedback on exercise logs.
Gazi University Hospital, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Ankara, Turkey (Türkiye)
World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale-BREF score
This scale is used for a brief assessment of the quality of life in routine clinical practice, large-scale epidemiological studies, or clinical trials. It comprises 27 questions that evaluate general health status, physical health, psychological status, social relations and environmental issues sub-titles. Each question receives an answer corresponding to 1-5 points. The percentages of the scores obtained from each sub-title allow us to make a quantitative interpretation of domains of the quality of life. Increased scores represent higher life quality.
Time frame: From enrollment day to the end of the rehabilitation program at 4 weeks
Maximum oxygen consumption (VO₂ max)
It is the highest amount of oxygen that patients can consume during incremental aerobic exercise and is considered the best indicator of exercise capacity.
Time frame: From enrollment day to the end of the rehabilitation program at 4 weeks
Double-product at the 11. minute of modified Bruce exercise test
Double-product is obtained by multiplying heart rate and systolic blood pressure at a time point of exercise. It gradually increases as the workload increases during exercise. Double-product is an indirect indicator of myocardial oxygen demand. In this study a specific time point, 11. minute of the modified Bruce exercise test was addressed. There were two reasons for this. First, most patients pass the ventilatory anaerobic threshold between the 9. to 12. minutes of the modified Bruce testing protocol. The other reason is to compare the double product value at a similar workload before and after the rehabilitation program.
Time frame: From enrollment day to the end of the rehabilitation program at 4 weeks
Oxygen (O₂) pulse at maximal exercise
The oxygen pulse expresses the volume of oxygen expelled from the ventricles in each heartbeat. It is calculated by dividing the amount of oxygen consumed in one minute by the heart rate, that is, by the formula VO₂/heart rate. Its unit is expressed as ml/beat. This ratio is equal to the product of the stroke volume and the arteriovenous oxygen difference. Therefore, it reflects the change in stroke volume and the oxygen utilization capacity of the muscles during exercise.
Time frame: From enrollment day to the end of the rehabilitation program at 4 weeks
Carbon dioxide respiratory equivalent (VE/VCO₂)
The respiratory equivalent of carbon dioxide is expressed as VE/VCO₂ and is the ratio of the current minute ventilation (VE) to the carbon dioxide production (VCO₂) during incremental aerobic exercise. It is the amount of breathing required to remove the produced CO₂. It represents dead space ventilation and increases in patients with lung diseases such as heart failure and pulmonary hypertension.
Time frame: From enrollment day to the end of the rehabilitation program at 4 weeks
Exercise time at which Ventilation Anaerobic Threshold (VAT) is reached
The ventilatory anaerobic threshold (VAT) refers to the point during incremental exercise at which ventilation increases disproportionately to oxygen consumption (VO₂) due to a rise in carbon dioxide (CO₂) production. This marks the transition from predominantly aerobic metabolism, where oxygen is used to produce energy, to increased anaerobic metabolism, where the body starts relying more on non-oxygen-dependent processes for energy production. As exercise intensity increases, the muscles begin to produce more lactate. When the production of lactate exceeds the body\'s ability to clear it efficiently, it starts to accumulate in the bloodstream. To buffer the acid produced by lactate, the body produces more CO₂, leading to a corresponding increase in breathing rate (ventilation) to eliminate the excess CO₂. In this study, the time point to achieve VAT in the modified Bruce exercise test protocol was recorded.
Time frame: From enrollment day to the end of the rehabilitation program at 4 weeks
First-Minute Heart Rate Recovery
Heart rate recovery (HRR) refers to the rate at which the heart rate declines following the cessation of exercise, reflecting the balance of autonomic nervous system function, specifically the reactivation of parasympathetic (vagal) tone and withdrawal of sympathetic stimulation. In this study, HRR was assessed as the reduction in heart rate within the first minute of recovery after maximal exertion during exercise testing. A faster HRR is generally considered a marker of superior cardiovascular fitness and autonomic function. Conversely, impaired HRR, particularly a decline of fewer than 12 beats per minute in the first minute post-exercise, has been strongly associated with increased cardiovascular and all-cause mortality, as highlighted in numerous studies. This makes HRR a valuable prognostic tool in assessing long-term outcomes in patients with cardiovascular disease.
Time frame: From enrollment day to the end of the rehabilitation program at 4 weeks
Fear of Activity in Patients With Coronary Artery Disease (Fact-CAD) score
FACT-CAD is a scale used to measure fear of activity in patients with CAD. It consists of 21 questions that evaluate fear of activity and behavioural changes in patients with CAD. Each question receives an answer as ''always, often, sometimes, very rarely, never''. The data obtained allow us to comment on the patient's post-cardiac event behavioural changes and fear of activity. A higher score represents an increased fear of activity.
Time frame: From enrollment day to the end of the rehabilitation program at 4 weeks
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