Effects of prehabilitation resistance training in mild to moderate clinically frail patients awaiting coronary artery bypass graft surgery

Abstract

Coronary artery disease is one of the main cause of mortality and morbidity among chronic heart diseases worldwide. Current study was planned to compare the effects of pre-habilitation resistance training in mild to moderate clinically frail patients awaiting coronary artery bypass graft (CABG). A Randomized controlled trial was conducted on 74 patients awaiting CABG at Faisalabad Institute of Cardiology, Pakistan. Modified Healthy heart questionnaire was used for screening of the patients. Interventions applied were resistance training by using cuff weights/ dumbbells at light intensity (40–50%) of a maximum one repetition (10–15 repetitions for one to three times a day) per major muscle groups of upper and lower limbs of the body on weekly basis. Main outcome measures were 6-minute walk test (6MWT), New York heart association (NYHA) for heart failure, clinical frailty score and essential frailty toolset. Significant differences between group A and group B patients were observed. The mean ranks for 6MWT in group A and group B were 1.70 and 1.55, respectively. The mean ranks of NYHA in group A and group B were 1.68 and 2.84, respectively. While clinical frailty score in group A and group B were 2.68 and 2.74, respectively with essential frailty toolset in group A and group B were 1.14 and 1.11, respectively. There were significant (p<0.05) differences within and between groups for prehabilitation resistance training after CABG. The study showed that resistance training group had improved the clinical frailty score, strength, endurance and functional capacity in patients who underwent elective CABG.