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Exercise-Based Rehabilitation for Heart Failure: Cochrane Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis, and Trial Sequential
Rod S Taylor1, Linda Long2, Ify R Mordi3
1Institute of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, and Institute of Health Research, University of Exeter College of Medicine and Health, Exeter, United Kingdom.
Insights
Exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation (ExCR) for heart failure (HF) reduces hospitalizations and improves quality of life. While not reducing mortality, ExCR benefits are consistent across various program types, though more research is needed.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Rehabilitation Medicine
- Public Health
Background:
- Growing demand for alternative exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation (ExCR) models for heart failure (HF) patients.
- Need for ExCR programs that recruit a broader HF population beyond traditional center-based settings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation (ExCR) for heart failure (HF).
- To evaluate the effectiveness of ExCR on patient outcomes, including mortality, hospitalization, and quality of life.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review and meta-analysis of 44 randomized trials (n=5,783) published between January 2013 and January 2018.
- Inclusion of trials comparing ExCR to control groups; outcomes pooled using meta-analysis.
- Application of metaregression, trial sequential analysis (TSA), and Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) for robust assessment.
Main Results:
- ExCR did not significantly reduce all-cause mortality (RR: 0.89; 95% CI: 0.66 to 1.21).
- ExCR significantly reduced all-cause hospitalization (RR: 0.70; 95% CI: 0.60 to 0.83) and HF-specific hospitalization (RR: 0.59; 95% CI: 0.42 to 0.84).
- Patients reported improved quality of life scores on the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure questionnaire (MD: -7.1; 95% CI: -10.5 to -3.7).
Conclusions:
- Exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation (ExCR) demonstrates beneficial effects on patient outcomes for heart failure (HF).
- Benefits of ExCR are consistent across different program characteristics and delivery models.
- Further high-quality randomized trials are recommended based on GRADE and TSA assessments.
Objectives:
This study performed a contemporary systematic review and meta-analysis of exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation (ExCR) for heart failure (HF).
Background:
There is an increasing call for trials of models of ExCR for patients with HF that provide alternatives to conventional center-based provision and recruitment of patients that reflect a broader HF population.
Methods:
The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, and PsycINFO databases were searched between January 2013 and January 2018. Randomized trials comparing patients undergoing ExCR to control patients not undergoing exercise were included. Study outcomes were pooled using meta-analysis. Metaregression examined potential effect modification according to ExCR program characteristics, and risk of bias, trial sequential analysis (TSA), and Grading of Recommendations Assessment Development and Evaluation (GRADE) were applied.
Results:
Across 44 trials (n = 5,783; median follow-up of 6 months), compared with control subjects, ExCR did not reduce the risk of all-cause mortality (relative risk [RR]: 0.89; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.66 to 1.21; TSA-adjusted CI: 0.26 to 3.10) but did reduce all-cause hospitalization (RR: 0.70; 95% CI: 0.60 to 0.83; TSA-adjusted CI: 0.54 to 0.92) and HF-specific hospitalization (RR: 0.59; 95% CI: 0.42 to 0.84; TSA-adjusted CI: 0.14 for 2.46), and patients reported improved Minnesota Living with Heart Failure questionnaire overall scores (mean difference: -7.1; 95% CI: -10.5 to -3.7; TSA-adjusted CI: -13.2 to -1.0). No evidence of differential effects across different models of delivery, including center- versus home-based programs, were found.
Conclusions:
This review supports the beneficial effects of ExCR on patient outcomes. These benefits appear to be consistent across ExCR program characteristics. GRADE and TSA assessments indicated that further high-quality randomized trials are needed.
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