Does aerobic training lead to a more active lifestyle and improved quality of life in patients with chronic heart failure?

BACKGROUND

Due to dyspnea and fatigue, patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) are often restricted in the performance of everyday activities, which gradually may lead to hypoactivity.

AIMS

To assess whether aerobic training leads to a more active lifestyle and improved quality of life (QoL) in patients with CHF.

METHODS

Patients with stable CHF (NYHA II/III; 59 (11) years) were randomly assigned to a training group (n=18; 3-month aerobic program above standard treatment) or control group (n=16; standard treatment without special advice for exercise). Measurements were performed on level of everyday physical activity (PA, novel accelerometry-based activity monitor) and QoL, and on several related parameters.

RESULTS

Training did not result in a more active lifestyle or improved QoL, but improved (P<0.05) peak power (17%), 6-min walk distance (10%), muscle strength (13-15%) and depression (-1.3 unit). Changes in level of everyday PA were related to changes in peak Vo(2) (r=0.58, P=0.01) and knee extension strength (r=0.48, P=0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

At group level training did not result in a more active lifestyle or improved QoL. However, correlations between training-related changes in parameters suggest that aerobic training has the potential to increase levels of everyday PA in CHF.