Efficacy of a supervised exercise training program on five-year readmission rates in patients with acute coronary...

Exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation programmes can reduce mortality but their effects on readmission rates are unclear. The primary aim was to evaluate the efficacy of a supervised exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation programme on cardiac readmissions in patients with acute coronary syndrome at five years.

We conducted an open, controlled, randomized, hospital-based clinical trial. Patients were assigned either to the control group (CG) who received standard care or to the intervention group (IG) who participated in a supervised exercise programme (3h per week of supervised exercise training for 10 weeks). Patients were evaluated at 5 years.

Seventy-six patients [41 CG, 35 IG, mean age 59.2 (SD 10.4), 82.9% men] were included. Cardiac readmission rates at 5 years were 24% in the CG compared to 9% in the IG (p=0.068), and readmission rates for all causes were 42% in the CG and 23% in the IG (p=0.085). Emergency care for cardiac disease was required more frequently in the CG (17% vs 11%, p=0.486). IG patients performed more regular and intensive exercise (62% vs. 33%, p=0.088). In both groups there were significant deterioration in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, body mass index, waist circumference, HbAc1, triglycerides, LDL and diet, and a significant increase in HDL.

Patients who participated in the supervised exercise training programme were readmitted less often than controls for cardiac disease and for all causes at 5 years, the reduction was clinically meaningful although not statistically significant. Control of cardiovascular risk factors deteriorated in both groups.