Science and Research

[Exercise Training in Patients with Pulmonary Hypertension: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis]

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is defined as an elevation of mean pulmonary-arterial pressure by > 20 mmHg at rest, which may lead to right heart failure. Physical exercise has not been regularly recommended for PH patients for fear of symptom deterioration or occurrence of exercise-induced adverse events. METHODS: Three electronic databases were searched for randomized, controlled trials investigating exercise training in PH patients using the following keywords: "pulmonary hypertension" OR "pulmonary arterial hypertension" AND "exercise" OR "pulmonary rehabilitation" AND "randomized". RESULTS: Five studies involving 187 PH patients were included in this systematic review. Exercise programs lasted for 3 - 12 weeks (e. g. endurance training for 10 - 45 minutes; 60 - 80 % of the peak heart rate). PH patients significantly improved exercise capacity compared to controls in 6-minute walk distance (+ 45 m; 95 % CI: 26 m - 64 m) or peak oxygen consumption (+ 2.3 ml/kg/min; 95 % CI: 1.8 - 2.9 ml/kg/min), both p < 0.001. Also, physical and mental quality of life improved significantly by exercise training. No exercise-induced adverse events were observed. CONCLUSION: Supervised exercise training can safely and significantly improve physical performance and quality of life in clinically stable PH patients with optimal drug treatment. However, larger studies including a wider range of PH are mandatory.
  • Glockl, R.
  • Schneeberger, T.
  • Boeselt, T.
  • Kenn, K.
  • Koczulla, A. R.
  • Held, M.
  • Oberhoffer, R.
  • Halle, M.

Keywords

  • *Exercise
  • Exercise Therapy/*methods
  • *Exercise Tolerance
  • Humans
  • Hypertension, Pulmonary/psychology/*therapy
  • Physical Fitness
  • Quality of Life/psychology
  • *Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
  • Treatment Outcome
Publication details
DOI: 10.1055/a-1005-8678
Journal: Pneumologie
Pages: 677-685 
Number: 11
Work Type: Other
Location: UGMLC
Disease Area: PH
Partner / Member: UMR
Access-Number: 31715636
See publication on PubMed

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