Objective: To evaluate the effects of home-based exercise for patients with chronic heart failure and sleep apnoea and to compare two different training programmes.
Design: A randomized, prospective controlled trial.
Setting: Department of Cardiology, University Hospital, Brazil.
Subjects: Fifty chronic heart failure patients with sleep apnoea were randomized in three groups: Group 1 (aerobic training, n = 18), Group 2 (aerobic with strength training, n = 18), and Group 3 (untrained, n = 14).
Interventions: The training programme for Groups 1 and 2 began with three supervised exercise sessions, after they underwent three months of home-based exercise. Patients were followed by weekly telephone call and were reviewed monthly. Group 3 had the status of physical activity evaluated weekly by interview to make sure they remained untrained.
Main outcome measures: At baseline and after three months: cardiopulmonary exercise testing, isokinetic strength and endurance, Minnesota living with heart failure questionnaire and polysomnography. Adherence was evaluated weekly.
Results: Of the 50 patients enrolled in the study, 45 completed the programme. Clinical events: Group 1 (one death), Group 2 (one myocardial infarction), Group 3 (one death and two strokes). None were training related. Training groups showed improvement in all outcomes evaluated and the adherence was an important factor (Group 1 = 98.5% and Group 2 = 100.2%, P = 0.743). Untrained Group 3 demonstrated significant decrease or no change on measurements after three months without training.
Conclusion: Home-based exercise training is an important therapeutic strategy in chronic heart failure patients with sleep apnoea, and strength training resulted in a higher increase in muscle strength and endurance.