Functional capacity, skeletal muscle strength, and skeletal muscle volume in patients with myocardial infarction

Previous studies have reported that skeletal muscle strength is closely related to exercise capacity in patients with myocardial infarction (MI). However, none of the previous studies have fully investigated the correlation between exercise capacity and the skeletal muscle volume (MV). Seventy patients with MI underwent symptom-limited cardiopulmonary exercise testing using a treadmill. The MV was evaluated by electrical impedance analysis and the maximal knee extension strength (Peak torque: PT) was measured by a Biodex. The subjects were divided into 2 groups according to the MV (group L, MV < 22 kg; group H, MV > or = 22 kg). The PT was positively and significantly correlated with the peak V(.)O(2) in both the L and H groups (r = 0.70 versus r = 0.71). The MV of the lower limbs was positively correlated with the peak V(.)O(2) in the L group (r = 0.57), but not in the H group. The lower limb MV was positively and significantly correlated with PT in the L group (r = 0.48), but not in the H group. The exercise capacity of patients with MI is thought to depend on both the strength and volume of the skeletal muscle. In MI patients with high muscle volume, exercise capacity was determined by skeletal muscle strength alone.