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Cardiopulmonary exercise testing for evaluation of a randomized exercise training intervention following aortic valve replacement
Author(s) -
Nilsson Henric,
Nylander Eva,
Borg Sabina,
Tamás Éva,
Hedman Kristofer
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
clinical physiology and functional imaging
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.608
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1475-097X
pISSN - 1475-0961
DOI - 10.1111/cpf.12545
Subject(s) - medicine , vo2 max , aerobic exercise , cardiology , aortic valve replacement , physical therapy , oxygen pulse , cardiopulmonary exercise test , stenosis , heart rate , blood pressure
Summary Aortic valve surgery is the definitive treatment for aortic stenosis ( AS ). No specific recommendation is available on how exercise training should be conducted and evaluated after aortic valve replacement ( AVR ). This study aimed to examine the effect of aerobic exercise training on exercise capacity following AVR . In addition to our primary outcome variable, peak oxygen uptake (peak VO 2 ), the effect on submaximal cardiopulmonary variables including oxygen uptake kinetics (tau), oxygen uptake efficiency slope ( OUES ) and ventilatory efficiency ( VE / VCO 2 slope) was evaluated. Following AVR due to AS , 12 patients were randomized to either a group receiving 12 weeks of supervised aerobic exercise training ( EX ) or a control group ( CON ). Exercise capacity was assessed by a maximal cardiopulmonary exercise test ( CPET ). There was a significant increase in peak load (+28%, P = 0·031) and in peak VO 2 (+23%, P = 0·031) in EX , corresponding to an increase in achieved percentage of predicted peak VO 2 from 88 to 104% ( P = 0·031). For submaximal variables, there were only non‐statistically significant trends in improvement between CPET s in EX . In CON , there were no significant differences in any maximal or submaximal variable between CPET s. We conclude that 12 weeks of supervised aerobic exercise training induces significant adaptations in cardiopulmonary function following AVR , especially in regard to maximal variables including peak VO 2 . In addition, we provide novel data on the effect on several submaximal variables following exercise training in this group of patients.