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. 2016 Dec;14(2):67-75.
doi: 10.1016/j.jesf.2016.08.001. Epub 2016 Nov 9.

Effect of short-term exercise intervention on cardiovascular functions and quality of life of chronic heart failure patients: A meta-analysis

Yahui Zhang  1 , Lisheng Xu  1   2 , Yang Yao  1 , Xiaofan Guo  3 , Yingxian Sun  3 , Junyang Zhang  1 , Qiang Fu  1
Affiliations

Effect of short-term exercise intervention on cardiovascular functions and quality of life of chronic heart failure patients: A meta-analysis

Yahui Zhang et al. J Exerc Sci Fit. 2016 Dec.

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this study was to comprehensively evaluate the effect of short-term exercise intervention on the cardiovascular functions and quality of life (QoL) of patients with chronic heart failure (CHF).

Methods: This meta-analysis was analyzed using RevMan5.3 and Stata 13.0. The parameters of cardiovascular functions and QoL were assessed. Weighted mean differences and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were computed for continuous variables.

Results: Data from 2533 CHF patients enrolled in 28 published studies of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were collated. There were significant differences in VO2 max prior to and after exercise intervention in CHF patients who are 50-55 years old (5 RCTs; 95% CI, -4.86 to -2.29; I2 = 50.5%), 60-65 years old (10 RCTs; 95% CI, -2.66 to -2.04; I2 = 0%), and 69-75 years old (5 RCTs; 95% CI, -1.88 to -0.34; I2 = 38.5%). VO2 max was significantly increased by aerobic exercise (9 RCTs; 95% CI, -3.45 to -1.92; I2 = 37.7%) and combined aerobic resistance exercise (4 RCTs; 95% CI, -4.41 to -0.26; I2 = 76.6%). There were significant differences in cardiac output (n = 303; 95% CI, -0.25 to -0.02; I2 = 12%) and QoL (n = 299; 95% CI, 3.19 to 9.70; I2 = 17%) prior to and after short-term exercise.

Conclusion: Aerobic exercise and aerobic with resistance exercise can significantly improve the aerobic capacity of CHF patients, whereas resistance exercise cannot. The improvement in aerobic capacity caused by aerobic exercise and aerobic with resistance exercise decreases with age. Systolic blood pressure and ventricle structures and functions of CHF patients show no significant changes after the short-term exercise intervention.

Keywords: cardiovascular functions; meta-analysis; patients with chronic heart failure; short-term exercise intervention.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flow diagram for inclusion of studies in meta-analysis.
Figure 2
Figure 2
(A) Forest plot showing the effect of short-term exercise intervention on VO2 max in CHF patients who were 50–55 years old (i), 60–65 years old (ii), and 69–75 years old (iii). (B) Forest plot showing the effect of short-term exercise intervention on VO2 max in CHF patients: (i) aerobic exercise; (ii) resistance exercise; (iii) aerobic with resistance exercise. CHF = chronic heart failure.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Forest plot showing the effect of short-term exercise intervention on SBP of CHF patients in randomized controlled trials (RCTs).
Figure 4
Figure 4
(A) Forest plot showing the effect of short-term exercise intervention on CO of CHF patients in RCTs. (B) Forest plot showing the effect of short-term exercise intervention on LVEF of CHF patients in RCTs. (C) Forest plot showing the effect of short-term exercise intervention on HR of CHF patients in RCTs. (D) Forest plot showing the effect of short-term exercise intervention on HRV of CHF patients in RCTs. CHF = chronic heart failure; CO = cardiac output; LVEF = left ventricular ejection fraction; RCTs = randomized controlled trials.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Forest plot showing the effect of short-term exercise intervention on QoL of CHF patients in RCTs. CHF = chronic heart failure; QoL = quality of life; RCTs = randomized controlled trials.
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