Age-related differences in physiologic and psychosocial outcomes after cardiac rehabilitation

To examine differences in physiologic and psychosocial outcomes between age groups after an exercise-based supervised-recovery phase II cardiac rehabilitation outpatient program.

This is a longitudinal observational study. The study assessed 442 consecutive cardiac patients. Patients were divided into the middle-aged group (<65 yrs, n = 242) and older-age group (> or =65 yrs, n = 200). Peak oxygen uptake, handgrip and knee extensor muscle strength, upper- and lower-body self-efficacy for physical activity, and physical component summary and mental component summary scores as assessed by SF-36 were measured at 1 and 3 mos after the onset of acute myocardial infarction or cardiac surgery and were compared.

All physiologic and psychosocial outcomes increased significantly between months 1 and 3 in both groups. However, increases were greater in the middle-aged vs. older-aged group in peak oxygen uptake (+13.1% vs. +8.7%, P < 0.01), knee extensor muscle strength (+17.6% vs. +13.3%, P = 0.01), lower-body self-efficacy for physical activity (+17.3% vs. +12.7%, P = 0.02), and physical component summary score (+5.4% vs. +2.7%, P = 0.02).

Age-related differences in various physiologic and psychosocial measures indicated greater improvement from an exercise-based supervised recovery-phase II cardiac rehabilitation outpatient program in middle-aged vs. older-aged patients. Older adults may derive equal mental or emotional benefit from such a cardiac rehabilitation program but do not experience as much improvement in physiologic outcomes as middle-aged adults.