Effects of Cardiac Rehabilitation With Lumbar-Type Hybrid Assistive Limb on Muscle Strength in Patients With Chronic Heart Failure - A Randomized Controlled Trial

Factors related to non-adherence to cardiac rehabilitation in patients with heart failure

INTRODUCTION

In heart failure, cardiac rehabilitation has been recommended as an intervention strategy that improves functional capacity, health-related quality of life and survival. However, adherence to these programs is low. The objective was to determine the factors related to non-adherence to cardiac rehabilitation in patients with heart failure in Colombia.

METHOD

Observational and retrospective study. Patients with heart failure were linked in a clinic in Colombia, adherence to cardiac rehabilitation was measured with ≥80% of scheduled sessions. Sociodemographic and clinical variables, functional aerobic capacity (Sit to Stand and 6-minute walk test), Duke Activity Status Index (DASI), quality of life Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLFHQ) and depression Patient health questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9) were taken into account.

RESULTS

300 patients were linked with heart failure with age 63.16 ± 12.87 men 194 (64.7%). adherence to cardiac rehabilitation was 66.67%, there were statistically significant differences between the groups in arterial hypertension, LVEF, cholesterol, LDL, Triglycerides, SBP, DBP, distance traveled, VO2e, METs, DASI and PHQ-9 p-value =<0.05. The logistic regression model adjusted for sex and age showed OR for non-adherence to CR arterial hypertension 2.23[1.22-4.07], LDL outside of goals 2.15[1.20-3.88], triglycerides outside goals 2.34[1.35-4.07], DASI<4METs 2.38 [1.04-5.45] and PHQ-9 1.06[1.00-1.12].

CONCLUSION

High blood pressure, LDL, triglycerides, DASI and depression with the PHQ-9 questionnaire are related factors for not having adherence to cardiac rehabilitation in patients with heart failure.

Effects of cardiac rehabilitation with motion assistance from a wearable cyborg hybrid assistive limb on patients with chronic heart failure: a randomized controlled trial with a one-year follow-up

[Purpose] We have recently reported that using a wearable cyborg hybrid assistive limb improved the isometric knee extensor muscle strength of patients with chronic heart failure. Here, we investigated the long-term effects of a lumbar-type hybrid assistive limb for patients with chronic heart failure. [Participants and Methods] A total of 28 hospitalized patients with chronic heart failure (mean age, 73.1 ± 13.8 years) were randomly assigned to two groups: the hybrid assistive limb group or the control group, in which they performed a sit-to-stand exercise with or without the hybrid assistive limb, respectively. The cardiac rehabilitation therapy included this intervention, which was performed as many times as possible for 5-30 minutes per day for 6-10 days. Clinical assessments like lower-limb muscle strength, walking ability, etc., were measured before and after the intervention. Cardiac events were followed up for up to a year after discharge. [Results] No adverse events occurred during the study period in either group. In terms of long-term effects, the incidence of cardiac events was 23% and 45% in the hybrid assistive limb and the control groups, respectively. [Conclusion] Hybrid assistive limb-assisted exercise therapy may be a safe and feasible cardiac rehabilitation tool in patients with chronic heart failure. The lumbar-type wearable cyborg hybrid assistive limb may have a positive effect on heart failure prognosis by adding long-term exercise therapy.