BackgroundCardiac rehabilitation (CR) is an essential part of contemporary coronary heart disease management. However, patients exiting a center-based CR program have difficulty retaining its benefits.ObjectiveWe aimed to evaluate the added benefit of a home-based CR program with telemonitoring guidance on physical fitness in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) completing a phase II ambulatory CR program and to compare the effectiveness of this program in a prolonged center-based CR intervention by means of a randomized controlled trial.MethodsBetween February 2014 and August 2016, 90 CAD patients (unblinded, mean age 61.2 years, SD 7.6; 80/90, 89.0% males; mean height 1.73 m, SD 0.7; mean weight 82.9 kg, SD 13; mean body mass index 27.5 kg/m2, SD 3.4) who successfully completed a 3-month ambulatory CR program were randomly allocated to one of three groups: home-based (30), center-based (30), or control group (30) on a 1:1:1 basis. Home-based patients received a home-based exercise intervention with telemonitoring guidance consisting of weekly emails or phone calls; center-based patients continued the standard in-hospital CR, and control group patients received the usual care including the advice to remain physically active. All the patients underwent cardiopulmonary exercise testing for assessment of their peak oxygen uptake (VO2 P) at baseline and after a 12-week intervention period. Secondary outcomes included physical activity behavior, anthropometric characteristics, traditional cardiovascular risk factors, and quality of life.ResultsFollowing 12 weeks of intervention, the increase in VO2 P was larger in the center-based (P=.03) and home-based (P=.04) groups than in the control group. In addition, oxygen uptake at the first (P-interaction=.03) and second (P-interaction=.03) ventilatory thresholds increased significantly more in the home-based group than in the center-based group. No significant changes were observed in the secondary outcomes.ConclusionsAdding a home-based exercise program with telemonitoring guidance following completion of a phase II ambulatory CR program results in further improvement of physical fitness and is equally as effective as prolonging a center-based CR in patients with CAD.Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT02047942; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02047942 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/70CBkSURj)

Exercise is widely recommended as one of the key preventive lifestyle changes to reduce the risk of hypertension and to manage high blood pressure (BP), but individual studies investigating the effect of exercise on ambulatory BP have remained inconclusive. Therefore, the primary purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to determine the effect of aerobic endurance training on daytime and night-time BP in healthy adults. A systematic literature search was conducted using PubMed and Cochrane Controlled Clinical trial registry from their inception to May 2012. Randomized controlled trials of at least 4 weeks investigating the effects of aerobic endurance training on ambulatory BP in healthy adults were included. Inverse weighted random effects models were used for analyses, with data reported as weighted means and 95% confidence limits. We included 15 randomized controlled trials, involving 17 study groups and 633 participants (394 exercise participants and 239 control participants). Overall, endurance training induced a significant reduction in daytime SBP [-3.2 mmHg, 95% confidence interval (CI), -5.0 to-1.3] and daytime DBP (-2.7 mmHg, 95% CI, -3.9 to -1.5). No effect was observed on night-time BP. The findings from this meta-analysis suggest that aerobic endurance exercise significantly decreases daytime, but not night-time, ambulatory BP.

Background Home-based interventions might facilitate the lifelong uptake of a physically active lifestyle following completion of a supervised phase II exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation. Yet, data on the long-term effectiveness of home-based exercise training on physical activity and exercise capacity are scarce. Objective The purpose of the TeleRehabilitation in Coronary Heart disease (TRiCH) study was to compare the long-term effects of a short home-based phase III exercise programme with telemonitoring guidance to a prolonged centre-based phase III programme in coronary artery disease patients. The primary outcome was exercise capacity. Secondary outcomes included physical activity behaviour, cardiovascular risk profile and health-related quality of life. Methods Ninety coronary artery disease patients (80 men) were randomly assigned to 3 months of home-based (30), centre-based (30) or a control group (30) on a 1:1:1 basis after completion of their phase II ambulatory cardiac rehabilitation programme. Outcome measures were assessed at discharge of the phase II programme and after one year. Results Eighty patients (72 (91%) men; mean age 62.6 years) completed the one-year follow-up measurements. Exercise capacity and secondary outcomes were preserved in all three groups ( Ptime > 0.05 for all), irrespective of the intervention ( Pinteraction > 0.05 for all). Eighty-five per cent of patients met the international guidelines for physical activity ( Ptime < 0.05). No interaction effect was found for physical activity. Conclusion Overall, exercise capacity remained stable during one year following phase II cardiac rehabilitation. Our home-based exercise intervention was as effective as centre-based and did not result in higher levels of exercise capacity and physical activity compared to the other two interventions. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02047942. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02047942

In CAD patients with preserved and/or reduced LVEF, AIT is superior to MCT for improving peakVO2, while MCT seems to be more effective in reducing body weight. However, large, well-designed, randomized controlled trials are warranted to confirm these findings.

T2DM is significantly more common in people with MDD compared with the general population. The current meta-analysis indicates that action is needed in order to curb the diabetes epidemic in this high-risk population.

BackgroundPulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a progressive disorder characterized by hypertension in the pulmonary arteries. PAH leads to symptoms such as shortness of breath, dizziness, leg edema and chest pain, impacting heavily on quality of life. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to determine the effect of exercise training to improve physical fitness and functionality in patients with PAH.MethodsA search was conducted for controlled trials using the databases Medline, Embase, SPORT Discus and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. Studies were included if at least 80% of the participants presented with group 1 PAH and if the intervention consisted of an exercise training program of at least 3 weeks duration. Data were extracted on study quality, participant and exercise intervention characteristics, and outcomes. Data were pooled by the generic inverse variance method using random effect models and were expressed as weighted means and 95% confidence intervals (CI).ResultsOf 110 identified abstracts, 5 studies with 106 patients (exercise: 53; control: 53; mean age 49.7 years) were included. Disease severity ranged from mild to severe; 96 patients suffered from PAH, 10 patients had chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension. Exercise training led to an increase in 6 minute walk distance (72.5 m; 95% CI 46.0 m to 99.1 m; p < 0.0001) and peak oxygen uptake (2.16 mL/kg/min; 95% CI 2.16 to 3.93; p = 0.02). No severe adverse events during exercise were reported.ConclusionsOur findings suggest that an exercise training program positively influences exercise tolerance and functional capacity in patients with PAH.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12890-015-0031-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

BackgroundCardiac rehabilitation (CR) can slow or reverse the progression of cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, uptake of community-based CR is very low. E-cardiology, e-health and technology solutions for physical activity uptake and monitoring have evolved rapidly and have potential in CVD management. However, it is unclear what the current technology usage is of CVD patients, and their needs and interests for technology enabled CR.MethodsA technology usage questionnaire was developed and completed by patients from a supervised ambulatory CR program and an adult congenital heart disease clinic and from two community-based CR programs. Results were described and related with age, gender and educational level by Spearman correlations.ResultsOf 310 patients, 298 patients (77 % male; mean age 61,7 ± 14,5 years) completed at least 25 questions of the survey and were included in the analysis (completion rate 96 %). Most (97 %) patients had a mobile phone and used the internet (91 %). Heart rate monitors were used by 35 % and 68 % reported to find heart rate monitoring important when exercising at home. Physical activity monitoring was reported by 12 % of the respondents. Respondents were interested in CR support through internet (77 %) and mobile phone (68 %). Many patients reported interest in game-based CR (67 %) and virtual rehabilitation (58 %). At least medium interest in technology enabled CR was reported by 75 % of the patients. Interest decreased with increasing age (r = −0.16; p = 0.005).ConclusionsCVD patients show interest for technology enabled home-based CR. Our results could guide the design of a technology-based, virtual CR intervention.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12911-016-0329-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Background Wrist-worn tracking devices such as the Apple Watch are becoming more integrated in health care. However, validation studies of these consumer devices remain scarce. Objectives This study aimed to assess if mobile health technology can be used for monitoring home-based exercise in future cardiac rehabilitation programs. The purpose was to determine the accuracy of the Apple Watch in measuring heart rate (HR) and estimating energy expenditure (EE) during a cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) in patients with cardiovascular disease. Methods Forty patients (mean age 61.9 [SD 15.2] yrs, 80% male) with cardiovascular disease (70% ischemic, 22.5% valvular, 7.5% other) completed a graded maximal CPET on a cycle ergometer while wearing an Apple Watch. A 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) was used to measure HR; indirect calorimetry was used for EE. HR was analyzed at three levels of intensity (seated rest, HR1; moderate intensity, HR2; maximal performance, HR3) for 30 seconds. The EE of the entire test was used. Bias or mean difference (MD), standard deviation of difference (SDD), limits of agreement (LoA), mean absolute error (MAE), mean absolute percentage error (MAPE), and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were calculated. Bland-Altman plots and scatterplots were constructed. Results SDD for HR1, HR2, and HR3 was 12.4, 16.2, and 12.0 bpm, respectively. Bias and LoA (lower, upper LoA) were 3.61 (–20.74, 27.96) for HR1, 0.91 (–30.82, 32.63) for HR2, and –1.82 (–25.27, 21.63) for HR3. MAE was 6.34 for HR1, 7.55 for HR2, and 6.90 for HR3. MAPE was 10.69% for HR1, 9.20% for HR2, and 6.33% for HR3. ICC was 0.729 ( P <.001) for HR1, 0.828 ( P <.001) for HR2, and 0.958 ( P <.001) for HR3. Bland-Altman plots and scatterplots showed good correlation without systematic error when comparing Apple Watch with ECG measurements. SDD for EE was 17.5 kcal. Bias and LoA were 30.47 (–3.80, 64.74). MAE was 30.77; MAPE was 114.72%. ICC for EE was 0.797 ( P <.001). The Bland-Altman plot and a scatterplot directly comparing Apple Watch and indirect calorimetry showed systematic bias with an overestimation of EE by the Apple Watch. Conclusions In patients with cardiovascular disease, the Apple Watch measures HR with clinically acceptable accuracy during exercise. If confirmed, it might be considered safe to incorporate the Apple Watch in HR-guided training programs in the setting of cardiac rehabilitation. At this moment, however, it is too early to recommend the Apple Watch for cardiac rehabilitation. Also, the Apple Watch systematically overestimates EE in this group of patients. Caution might therefore be warranted when using the Apple Watch for measuring EE.