One-Year Adherence to Exercise in Elderly Patients Receiving Postacute Inpatient Rehabilitation After Cardiac Surgery

Abstract

Our data show that 65% of the elderly patients who have attended postacute inpatient cardiac rehabilitation after cardiac surgery are still capable of recovering or even increasing their regular physical activity and of maintaining these favorable lifestyle changes at least for 1 yr.

Effects of a structured physical activity intervention on measures of physical performance in frail elderly patients after cardiac rehabilitation: a pilot study with 1-year follow-up

“…Although direct comparisons with the existing literature are, obviously, not feasible, the LIFE-P study [11], in which the effects of structured physical activity interventions were tested in frail, home dwelling older persons, might, anyhow, be a suitable reference. In our cohort, both the attendance rate of the follow-up visit and the adherence rate to the physical exercise prescription were quite high (89 and 70%, respectively) and these findings are aligned with the results of both the LIFE-P study [11] and a previous study from our group [12].…”

“…In a previous study on patients who had undergone cardiac surgery, and who, subsequently, received postacute rehabilitation, we found that two out of three patients were still capable of recovering, or even increasing, their regular physical activity in the year after rehabilitation [12]. Of note, the self-reported level of physical activity was significantly associated with the objective finding of the distance walked at the 6-min walk test.…”

“…Indeed, elective cardiac surgery is aimed at increasing life expectancy, and, which might be even more important for very old patients [26], at improving quality of life and independence through the relief of limiting symptoms, such as chest pain, shortness of breath or dysrhythmias [27]. However, elderly patients frequently show a slower and more complicated recovery after cardiac surgery [12,13]. In this study, we found that a relevant proportion of patients aged 65 years or more (69%, see participant flow) were classified as frail at the end of postacute rehabilitation, based on an SPPB score equal or lower than 9.…”

The improvement of walking speed after cardiac rehabilitation is associated with the reduction in the metabolic cost of walking in older persons

“…A detailed description of the rehabilitation program has been reported elsewhere [10][11][12]. Briefly, the physical training component of the rehabilitation program was based on two 1-h sessions per day on 5 days each week that included:…”

“…Modifiable cardiovascular risk factors, such as smoking habit, hypertension, diabetes and dyslipidemia were considered categorical variables and ascertained using standard criteria [16]. The level of regular physical activity performed by patients in the year preceding the operation was assessed by using a questionnaire that has been described elsewhere [12]. Briefly, we classified as ''low-intensity'' preoperative physical activity those patients who were sedentary or who performed at most 4 h/week of light (<3 metabolic equivalent, METs) physical activity.…”