A systematic review of recent cardiac rehabilitation meta-analyses in patients with coronary heart disease or heart failure

Abstract

Aim: The aim of the project was to conduct a systematic review of meta-analyses of supervised, home-based or telemedicine-based exercise cardiac rehabilitation (CR) published between July 2011 and April 2018. Materials & methods: Evidence on mortality, hospitalization, peak VO₂, exercise capacity, muscle strength and health-related quality of life in patients with coronary heart disease or heart failure referred to CR was obtained by searching six electronic databases. Results: Of the 127 point estimates identified in the 30 CR meta-analyses identified (mortality, n = 12; hospitalization, n = 11; VO₂, n = 40; exercise capacity, n = 20; strength, n = 18; health-related quality of life, n = 26), 60% were statistically significant and 35% clinically important. Conclusion: The statistical data are sufficiently robust to promote strategies to improve referral to and participation in CR although evidence for clinical importance needs to be further investigated.

Keywords: angina; cardiac rehabilitation; coronary artery disease; exercise-based; heart failure; meta-analysis; myocardial infarction; outcomes.