Cardiorespiratory responses to exercise training after orthotopic cardiac transplantation.

We have tested the feasibility and effectiveness of a 2 year (average 16 +/- 7 months) walk/jog exercise program on 36 male orthotopic cardiac transplant patients (21 to 57 years old) seen initially 2 to 23 months after surgery. Comparison of initial exercise test results with those in 45 age-matched normal men showed the patients to have a lesser lean body mass (56 +/- 7 vs 63 +/- 8 kg, p less than .001), with a higher resting heart rate (104 +/- 12 vs 77 +/- 14 beats/min, p less than .001) and systolic (138 +/- 16 vs 129 +/- 17 mm Hg, p less than .001) and diastolic (95 +/- 14 vs 84 +/- 10 mm Hg, p less than .001) blood pressures. Peak power output was less than normal (101 +/- 27 vs 219 +/- 41 W, p less than .001), as was peak heart rate (136 +/- 15 vs 176 +/- 13 beats/min, p less than .001), peak oxygen intake (VO2max) (22 +/- 5 vs 34 +/- 6 ml.kg.min-1, p less than .001), and absolute anaerobic threshold (1.18 +/- 0.40 vs 2.04 +/- 0.40 liters.min-1, p less than .001). Peak ventilatory equivalent was higher (48 +/- 9 vs 37 +/- 61.1-1, p less than .001). Cardiac output (Q), as estimated by the CO2 rebreathing method, was slightly above normal at rest (p less than .01), but below normal at two submaximal work rates. The group's average weekly training distance was 24 km, with eight highly compliant patients progressing to 32 km or more weekly. After training, lean tissue increased (+2.4 +/- 3.1 kg, p less than .001), and resting values were reduced for heart rate (-4 +/- 11 beats/min, p less than .05), systolic (-13 +/- 20 mm Hg, p less than .001), and diastolic (-9 +/- 17 mm Hg, p less than .001) blood pressures. There were significant reductions in submaximal values for minute ventilation (VE), ratings of perceived exertion, and diastolic blood pressure at equivalent workloads. Peak values increased for power output (+49 +/- 34 W, p less than .001), VO2max (+4.0 +/- 6.0 ml.kg.min-1, p less than .001), VE (+20 +/- 20 l.min-1, p less than .001), and heart rate (+13 +/- 17 beats/min, p less than .001), and decreased for diastolic blood pressure (-8 +/- 15 mm Hg, p less than .001).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)