SPC365

Shorter Cardiac Rehabilitation Programs: Taking time is taking effectiveness?

Session: Posters (Sessão 4 - Écran 3) - Exercício e Reabilitação Cardíaca 1 - Foco nos Programas de Reabilitação
Speaker: Ana Lobato de Faria Abrantes

Congress: CPC 2022
Topic: J. Preventive Cardiology
Theme: 29. Rehabilitation and Sports Cardiology
Subtheme: 29.2 Cardiovascular Rehabilitation
Session Type: Pósters Electrónicos
FP Number: ---
Authors: Ana Abrantes; Pedro Alves da Silva; Pedro Silvério António; Sara Couto Pereira; Beatriz Valente Silva; Joana Brito; Ana Margarida Martins; Catarina Simões de Oliveira; Ana Beatriz Garcia; João Santos Fonseca; Catarina Gregório; Miguel Azaredo Raposo; Nelson Cunha; Inês Ricardo; Ana Abreu

<p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="color:#000000"><strong>Introduction</strong></span></span></span><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="color:#000000">: Due to the covid-19 outbreak, cardiac rehabilitation programs (CRP) underwent most needed adaptions to stay operative. To face all the requests and guarantee sanitary measures we reduced the duration of the program from about 12 weeks to about 8 weeks, so we could have smaller groups but still respond to all patients who had been referred. However, it is still unclear whether less hours of contact and exercise sessions can achieve the same results as traditional CRP.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="color:#000000"><strong>Objective</strong></span></span></span><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="color:#000000">: To analyse the effectiveness of shorter duration CRP on risk factor control after the program conclusion.</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="color:#000000"><strong>Methods</strong></span></span></span><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="color:#000000">: Observational single center study including two groups of patients who underwent CRP: one group who had been in 12 weeks-CRP before the pandemic sprout and another group enrolled in an 8-week program after April 2021. Albeit differences in their duration, both CRP had the same structure: observation by cardiologist, physiatrist, specialist nurse, exercise /aerobic and strength exercices) and educational sessions, as well as nutrition and psychologist consultation.</span></span></span></p>

<p style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="color:#000000"><strong>Results</strong></span></span></span><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="color:#000000">: A total of 114 pts were analysed (mean age 62,4&plusmn;11,6 years, 85.1% men, 86% with ischemic heart disease). Main comorbidities were hypertension (68,4%), dyslipidemia (70%) and diabetes (30,7%). 78 pts completed a longer programme with 12 weeks duration while 36 underwent a shorter CRP with 8 weeks. There were no statistically significant differences between both groups in regard to population demographics, aetiology, LVEF and co-morbidities.&nbsp;</span></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="color:#000000">After CRP, there was significant improvement in risk factor control (mainly lipidic profile and weight) and echocardiographic parameters in both groups. We noted an important reduction in LDL levels (85</span></span></span><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="color:#000000"><span style="background-color:#ffffff">&plusmn;42.6mg/dL before CRP and 67.68&plusmn;28.45mg/dL after), approaching the guideline recommended levels (&lt;55mg/dL): 29.8% before vs 42.6% after (p=0.079), with no difference between the two groups (p=0,65). </span></span></span></span><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="color:#222222">Significant improvement of LVEF was also observed (53% to 57%, p &lt;0.001) without difference between the two groups (p=0.112).&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="color:#000000"><strong>Conclusion</strong></span></span></span><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="color:#000000">: Shorter duration CRP showed similar results concerning risk factor control and echocardiographic LVEF, proving they can be an effective alternative when needed.</span></span></span></p>