Long-term Exercise Adherence After High-intensity Interval Training in Cardiac Rehabilitation: A Randomized Study

Inger-Lise Aamot; Trine Karlsen; Håvard Dalen; Asbjørn Støylen

doi:10.1002/pri.1619

Long-term Exercise Adherence After High-intensity Interval Training in Cardiac Rehabilitation: A Randomized Study

Physiother Res Int. 2016 Mar;21(1):54-64. doi: 10.1002/pri.1619. Epub 2015 Feb 16.

Authors

Inger-Lise Aamot^{1

2

3}, Trine Karlsen^{1

2}, Håvard Dalen^{2

4}, Asbjørn Støylen^{2

5}

Affiliations

¹ K.G. Jebsen Center of Exercise in Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.
² Department of Circulation and Medical Imaging, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.
³ Department of Clinical Services, St. Olav's University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway.
⁴ Department of Medicine, Levanger Hospital, Nord-Trøndelag Health Trust, Levanger, Norway.
⁵ Department of Cardiology, St. Olav's University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway.

PMID: 25689059
DOI: 10.1002/pri.1619

Abstract

Background and purpose: Exercise adherence in general is reported to be problematic after cardiac rehabilitation. Additionally, vigorous exercise is associated with impaired exercise adherence. As high-intensity interval training (HIT) is frequently used as a therapy to patients with coronary artery disease in cardiac rehabilitation, the objective was to assess long-term exercise adherence following an HIT cardiac rehabilitation programme.

Methods: A multicentre randomized study was carried out. Eligible participants were adults who had previously attended a 12-week HIT cardiac rehabilitation programme, as either a home-based or hospital-based HIT (treadmill exercise or group exercise). The primary outcome was change in peak oxygen uptake; secondary outcomes were self-reported and objectively measured physical activity.

Results: Out of 83 eligible participants, 76 were available for assessment (68 men/8 women, mean age 59 (8) years) at a one-year follow-up. Peak oxygen uptake was significantly elevated above baseline values, (treadmill exercise: 35.8 (6.4) vs. 37.4 (7.4) ml kg(-1) min(-1) , group exercise: 32.7 (6.5) vs. 34.1 (5.8) ml kg(-1) min(-1) and home-based exercise: 34.5 (4.9) vs. 36.7 (5.8) ml kg(-1) min(-1) at baseline and follow-up, respectively), with no significant differences between groups. The majority of the participants (>90%) met the recommended daily level of 30 minutes of moderate physical activity. The home-based group showed a strong trend towards increased physical activity compared with the hospital-based groups.

Discussion: The results from this study have shown that both home-based and hospital-based HIT in cardiac rehabilitation induce promising long-term exercise adherence, with maintenance of peak oxygen uptake significantly above baseline values at a one-year follow-up. The implication for physiotherapy practice is that HIT in cardiac rehabilitation induces satisfactory long-term exercise adherence.

Keywords: coronary artery disease; patient compliance; secondary prevention.

Publication types

Multicenter Study
Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

Age Factors
Aged
Analysis of Variance
Cardiac Rehabilitation / methods*
Chi-Square Distribution
Coronary Artery Disease / diagnosis
Coronary Artery Disease / rehabilitation*
Exercise Test / methods
Female
Follow-Up Studies
High-Intensity Interval Training / methods*
Humans
Long-Term Care
Male
Middle Aged
Oxygen Consumption / physiology
Patient Compliance / statistics & numerical data*
Severity of Illness Index
Sex Factors
Statistics, Nonparametric
Treatment Outcome