Effects of community-based cardiac rehabilitation on body composition and physical function in individuals with stable coronary artery disease: 1.6-Year followup

Abstract

Objective. To examine long-term changes in physical function and body composition in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients participating in ongoing community-based cardiac rehabilitation (CR). Design. Thirty-four individuals (69.7±8.2 years; 79% men) participated in this longitudinal observational study. Baseline and follow-up assessments included incremental shuttle walk, short physical performance battery, handgrip strength, chair stands, body composition, last year physical activity, and CR attendance. Results. Participants attended 38.5±30.3% sessions during 1.6±0.2 year followup. A significant increase in 30-second chair stands (17.0±4.7 to 19.6±6.4, P<0.001), body weight (75.8±11.1 to 77.2±12.1 kg, P=0.001), and body fat (27.0±9.5 to 29.1±9.6%, P<0.001) and a decline in handgrip strength (36.4±9.4 to 33.0±10.6 kg·f, P<0.001) and muscle mass (40.8±5.6 to 39.3±5.8%, P<0.001) were observed during followup. There was no significant change in shuttle walk duration. CR attendance was not correlated to observed changes. Conclusions. Elderly CAD patients participating in a maintenance CR program improve lower-body muscle strength but experience a decline in handgrip strength and unfavourable changes in body composition, irrespective of CR attendance. © 2013 Sandra Mandic et al.