Authors

1. Braga, Marta MD
2. Nascimento, Helena MD
3. Pinto, Roberto MD
4. Araujo, Paulo MD
5. Nunes, Alzira MD
6. Rodrigues, Joana MD
7. Araujo, Vitor MD
8. Parada-Pereira, Fernando MD
9. Maciel, Maria Julia PhD
10. Rocha, Afonso MD

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the response of patients with obesity to a cardiac rehabilitation program (CRP), compared with patients without obesity.

Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of 731 patients who completed phase II of a CRP after an acute coronary syndrome. The response to the CRP was assessed using the relative changes in exercise capacity (EC), resting heart rate (HR), and chronotropic index (CI).

Results: Only 23% of patients had obesity. Patients with obesity showed lower EC and CI at baseline and at the end of phase II of the CRP. Despite that, we reported a higher relative improvement for EC in patients with obesity (median [interquartile range], 23.9% [5.2, 40.8] vs 17.6% [8.1, 35.9], P = .043) and similar improvements in CI (10.9% [-1.4 to 34.2] vs 7.1% [-7.1 to 28.2], P = .100), compared with patients without obesity. There were no significant changes in resting HR.

Conclusion: Regardless of their lower exercise performance at baseline, patients with obesity had a remarkably positive response to the CRP compared with patients without obesity.