Safety and efficacy of aerobic training in patients with cancer who have heart failure: an analysis of the HF-ACTION randomized trial

Abstract

Purpose: To investigate the efficacy and safety of aerobic training (AT) in patients with cancer with medically stable heart failure (HF).

Patients and methods: A retrospective analysis of 90 patients with cancer who have HF and who were randomly assigned to AT (n = 47) or guideline-based usual care (UC; n = 43) was performed. AT consisted of three supervised sessions per week at 20 to 45 minutes per session at 60% to 70% of heart rate reserve for 12 weeks followed by home-based sessions for 4 to 12 months. The primary end point was all-cause mortality and hospitalization. Secondary end points were other clinical events, safety, and change in exercise capacity (VO(2peak)) and health-related quality of life (HRQOL).

Results: Median follow-up was 35 months. In intention-to-treat (ITT) analyses, all-cause mortality or hospitalization at 2 years was 74% in the AT group compared with 67% in the UC group (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 1.11; 95% CI, 0.69 to 1.77; P = .676). The incidence of cardiovascular mortality or cardiovascular hospitalization was significantly higher in the AT group compared with the UC group (41% v 67%; adjusted HR, 1.94; 95% CI, 1.12 to 3.16; P = .017). There were no differences in any VO(2peak) or HRQOL end points. In post hoc analyses based on adherence to AT, all-cause mortality and hospitalization was 66% in adherent patients (≥ 90 minutes per week) compared with 84% in nonadherent patients (< 90 minutes per week).

Conclusion: In ITT analyses, AT did not improve clinical outcomes in patients with cancer who had HF. Post hoc analyses suggested that patients not capable of adhering to the planned AT prescription may be at increased risk of clinical events.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00047437.

Fig 1.

CONSORT diagram.