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Effects of home‐based exercise training on neurovascular control in patients with heart failure
Author(s) -
Franco Fábio Gazelato,
Santos Amilton C.,
Rondon Maria Urbana P.,
Trombetta Ivani C.,
Strunz Célia,
Braga Ana Maria W.,
Middlekauff Holly,
Negrão Carlos E.,
Barretto Antônio C. Pereira
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
european journal of heart failure
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.149
H-Index - 133
eISSN - 1879-0844
pISSN - 1388-9842
DOI - 10.1016/j.ejheart.2006.02.009
Subject(s) - medicine , neurovascular bundle , heart failure , quality of life (healthcare) , forearm , physical therapy , resistance training , physical medicine and rehabilitation , cardiology , surgery , nursing
Background The effect of home‐based exercise training on neurovascular control in heart failure patients is unknown. Aims To test the hypothesis that home‐based training would maintain the reduction in muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) and forearm vascular resistance (FVR) acquired after supervised training. Methods and results Twenty‐nine patients (54±1.9 years, EF<40%) were randomised into two groups: untrained control ( n =12) and exercise trained ( n =17). Both groups underwent assessment of Quality of Life (QoL), MSNA, and forearm blood flow. The exercise group underwent a 4‐month supervised training program followed by 4 months of home‐based training. After the initial 4 months of training, patients in the exercise group showed a significant increase in peak VO 2 and reduction in MSNA, compared to the untrained group, but this was not maintained during 4 months of home‐based training. In contrast, the decrease in FVR (56±3 vs. 46±4 vs. 40±2 U, p =0.008) and the improvement in QOL that were achieved during supervised training were maintained during home‐based training. Conclusions Home‐based training following supervised training is a safe strategy to maintain improvements in QoL and reduction in FVR in chronic heart failure patients, but is an inadequate strategy to maintain fitness as estimated by peak VO 2 or reduction in neurohumoral activation.