Role of Left Ventricle Function in Cardiac Rehabilitation Outcomes in Stage B Heart Failure Patients.

Purpose: To study the role of left ventricle systolic function in cardiac rehabilitation program (CRP) response in stage B heart failure patients.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was completed of 691 patients with previous myocardial infarction that underwent a CRP, classified in 3 groups: preserved ejection fraction (pEF), mid-range ejection fraction (mrEF), and reduced ejection fraction (rEF). We compared the response to CRP analyzing the relative changes of estimated cardiorespiratory fitness (CRFe), resting heart rate (HR), and chronotropic index (CI).

Results: After exercise training (median [interquartile range]) mrEF (23.9% [9.7, 40.8]) and rEF (23.9% [9.7, 41.2]) groups had a better CRFe response to CRP than pEF groups (17.6% [0.0, 35.9]), P = .009. CI increased similarly in all groups. We found a small effect of CRP on resting HR.

Conclusion: Exercise-based CRP yields notable benefits to mrEF and rEF groups and the magnitude of its benefits is, at least, similar to that found in pEF patients.