Eligibility criteria for inclusion
| Study selection | This systematic review and meta-analysis includes only RCTs published in English language from inception till the end of study period. Hybrid studies, cross over trial, observational studies and case series were excluded. |
| Participants | Adult population (18 years or older) diagnosed with at least one cardiac disease and referred for cardiac rehabilitation programme using VR (fully immersive or non-immersive). Cardiac diseases include but are not limited to ischaemic heart disease, non-ischaemic cardiomyopathy, heart failure and valvular heart disease. |
| Intervention | Patients participate in cardiac rehabilitation with some form of virtual reality devices during training sessions. These devices may be immersive (user interacts within a three-dimensional world generated by software) or non-immersive (user interacts with a two-dimensional environment generated by a software via screen such as a computer screen or a TV screen etc). |
| Comparator | Patients participate in cardiac rehabilitation training sessions under supervision of a cardiac rehabilitation professional at a hospital or a cardiac rehabilitation centre or at home. |
| Outcomes | Anxiety assessed using standardised questionnaires like HADS-A and STAI. Physical activity assessed as FC measured in PVO2. |
FC, functional capacity; HADS-A, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale; PVO2, peak oxygen uptake; RCT, randomised controlled trial; STAI, State Trait Anxiety Inventory; VR, virtual reality.