Effectiveness of a Hybrid Cardiac Rehabilitation Program: A Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial

Evaluate the effectiveness of a hybrid cardiac rehabilitation (CR) program compared with a traditional CR program and to assess the long-term effectiveness of the hybrid program in terms of promoting improvements in physical activity, functional capacity, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and symptoms of anxiety and depression.

A pragmatic randomized clinical trial was conducted across nine centers. The traditional program involved in-center exercise sessions twice a week for 12 weeks. The hybrid program included in-center sessions twice a week for 6 weeks, followed by a gradual replacement of in-center sessions by home-based sessions over the next 6 weeks. Physical activity levels, functional capacity, HRQoL, and symptoms of anxiety and depression were assessed at baseline, at the end of the program, and at a 6-month follow-up. A generalized linear mixed model was used to assess between-group differences.

Of the 295 participants recruited, 224 completed the end-of-program assessment (76%), and 169 were followed up at 6 months (57%). There were no statistically significant differences between the groups for all variables except for HRQoL. Between baseline and discharge, both groups showed significant improvements in all variables. At 6 months, no significant changes or differences between groups were found, indicating that the benefits were maintained over time.

No statistically significant differences were observed between groups for most outcomes. Both hybrid and traditional CR programs led to significant improvements in all outcomes. These benefits were sustained 6 months after completing either type of program.