Effect of aerobic training on exercise capacity and quality of life in patients older than 75 years with acute coronary syndrome undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention

Background Limited clinical studies are available on early exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation in elderly acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients.Objective To evaluate the effect of aerobic exercise on exercise capacity and quality of life (QoL) in such patients.Methods Seventy elderly patients with ACS undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention in Zhejiang Hospital during August 2016-June 2017 were randomly divided into the control (n = 35) or cardiac rehabilitation group (CR, n = 35). The control group was treated with standard medical treatments without exercise, whereas the CR group was treated with standard medical treatments and exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation. General information, cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) results, responses to QoL and mental health questionnaires, and clinical outcomes and safety were collected.Results The CR group safely finished CPET and the 12-week exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation. After the 12-week intervention, the CR group showed significant differences in maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) and greater improvements in VO2max, compared with the control group. The CR group showed statistically significant differences in QoL and mental health compared with the control group.Conclusion CPET-based exercise in cardiac rehabilitation can safely increase exercise capacity and QoL in such patients.