BACKGROUND: Current guidelines broadly recommend comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation (CCR), although evidence for this is still limited. We investigated the 12-month effect of hospital-based CCR versus usual care (UC) for a broadly defined group of cardiac patients within the modern therapeutic era of cardiology. METHODS: We conducted a centrally randomized single-center clinical trial with blinded assessment of the primary outcome: registry-based composite of total mortality, myocardial infarction, or acute first-time readmission due to heart disease. Other outcomes were hospitalization, risk profile, and quality of life. The trial included 770 participants (20-94 years) with congestive heart failure (12%), ischemic heart disease (58%), or high risk of ischemic heart disease (30%). Comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation is composed of 6 weeks of intensive intervention and systematic follow-up for 10.5 months. RESULTS: We randomized 380 patients to CCR versus 390 to UC. Randomization was well balanced. The primary outcome occurred in 31% of both groups (relative risk 0.96, 95% confidence interval 0.78-1.26). Compared with the UC group, CCR significantly reduced length of stay by 15% (95% confidence interval 1.1%-27.1%, P = .04), mean number of cardiac risk factors above target (4.5 vs 4.1, P = .01), patients with systolic blood pressure below target (P = .003), physically inactivity (P = .01), and unhealthy dietary habits (P = .0003). Short-Form-36 and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale did not differ significantly. CONCLUSION: At 12 months, the CCR and UC groups did not differ regarding the primary composite outcome. Comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation significantly reduced length of hospital stay and improved cardiac risk factors.
RCT Entities:
BACKGROUND: Current guidelines broadly recommend comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation (CCR), although evidence for this is still limited. We investigated the 12-month effect of hospital-based CCR versus usual care (UC) for a broadly defined group of cardiac patients within the modern therapeutic era of cardiology. METHODS: We conducted a centrally randomized single-center clinical trial with blinded assessment of the primary outcome: registry-based composite of total mortality, myocardial infarction, or acute first-time readmission due to heart disease. Other outcomes were hospitalization, risk profile, and quality of life. The trial included 770 participants (20-94 years) with congestive heart failure (12%), ischemic heart disease (58%), or high risk of ischemic heart disease (30%). Comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation is composed of 6 weeks of intensive intervention and systematic follow-up for 10.5 months. RESULTS: We randomized 380 patients to CCR versus 390 to UC. Randomization was well balanced. The primary outcome occurred in 31% of both groups (relative risk 0.96, 95% confidence interval 0.78-1.26). Compared with the UC group, CCR significantly reduced length of stay by 15% (95% confidence interval 1.1%-27.1%, P = .04), mean number of cardiac risk factors above target (4.5 vs 4.1, P = .01), patients with systolic blood pressure below target (P = .003), physically inactivity (P = .01), and unhealthy dietary habits (P = .0003). Short-Form-36 and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale did not differ significantly. CONCLUSION: At 12 months, the CCR and UC groups did not differ regarding the primary composite outcome. Comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation significantly reduced length of hospital stay and improved cardiac risk factors.
Authors: Balraj S Heran; Jenny Mh Chen; Shah Ebrahim; Tiffany Moxham; Neil Oldridge; Karen Rees; David R Thompson; Rod S Taylor Journal: Cochrane Database Syst Rev Date: 2011-07-06
Authors: Lindsey Anderson; David R Thompson; Neil Oldridge; Ann-Dorthe Zwisler; Karen Rees; Nicole Martin; Rod S Taylor Journal: Cochrane Database Syst Rev Date: 2016-01-05
Authors: Linda Long; Ify R Mordi; Charlene Bridges; Viral A Sagar; Edward J Davies; Andrew Js Coats; Hasnain Dalal; Karen Rees; Sally J Singh; Rod S Taylor Journal: Cochrane Database Syst Rev Date: 2019-01-29
Authors: Rod S Taylor; Viral A Sagar; Ed J Davies; Simon Briscoe; Andrew J S Coats; Hayes Dalal; Fiona Lough; Karen Rees; Sally Singh Journal: Cochrane Database Syst Rev Date: 2014-04-27
Authors: Sameer T Amin; David A Morrow; Eugene Braunwald; Sarah Sloan; Charles Contant; Sabina Murphy; Elliott M Antman Journal: J Am Heart Assoc Date: 2013-01-29 Impact factor: 5.501