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Updated: Jul 16, 2026

Benefits of Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy in an Asynchronous Heart Failure Model Induced by Left Bundle Branch Ablation and Rapid Pacing
Published on: December 11, 2017
The effect of endurance training on exercise capacity following cardiac resynchronization therapy in chronic heart
Viviane M A Conraads1, Marc Vanderheyden, Bernard Paelinck
1Department of Cardiology, University Hospital Antwerp, Wilrijkstraat, Belgium. Viviane.Conraads@uza.be
Background:
Both endurance training (ET) and cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) improve quality of life (QOL) and exercise tolerance in patients with advanced chronic heart failure (CHF).
Design:
A randomized intervention trial to study the effect on exercise capacity of ET in addition to CRT in patients with CHF and dyssynchrony.
Methods:
Seventeen patients (eight men, aged 59+/-9 years) with CHF and dyssynchrony were randomized to CRT with (n=8) or without (n=9) ET and compared with two matched control CHF groups (standard care with ET: n=9, standard care only: n=10). At baseline and after 5 months, exercise tolerance, left ventricular (LV) remodelling, QOL and NT-pro brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels were assessed.
Results:
Peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak), maximal workload (Wattmax), circulatory power, LV ejection fraction, dyssynchrony and QOL improved in both CRT groups. However, the increase in VO2peak (+40% versus +16%, P=0.005), Wattmax (+43% versus +13%, P=0.0005), and circulatory power (+74% versus +32%, P=0.01), was significantly greater in the trained versus the untrained CRT patients. Comparison of the four patient groups confirmed the cumulative effects of CRT plus ET.
Conclusions:
ET in resynchronized CHF patients is feasible and further enhances exercise tolerance. Patients with severe CHF should be prescribed an exercise training programme after implantation in order to maximize the expected benefit.
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