title: Early programmes of high and low intensity exercise and quality of life after acute myocardial infarction.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether a group programme of light exercise could improve quality of life in patients after acute myocardial infarction to the same extent as a high intensity exercise training programme.
  
  
  METHODS
  Australian teaching hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  224 men from a consecutive series of 339 men under 70 admitted to a coronary care unit with transmural acute myocardial infarction.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients were randomly allocated in hospital to a group programme lasting eight weeks of either high intensity exercise training or light exercise.
  
  
  METHODS
  Physical working capacity based on metabolic equivalents achieved from treadmill exercise tests at entry, after 11 weeks, and after one year. Quality of life based on self report scores of anxiety, depression, denial, and wellbeing and interview assessments of activities and psychosocial adjustment at entry, after four months, and after one year.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The two groups were well matched at entry. At 11 weeks the mean results of treadmill testing were 10.7 (95% confidence interval 10.20 to 11.20) metabolic equivalents for exercise training and 9.7 (9.26 to 10.14) for light exercise (t = 2.85, df = 181, p = 0.005). Apart from this small temporary benefit in mean physical working capacity, there were no significant differences between groups. Improvement in occupational adjustment score from baseline to four months was greater after exercise training than after light exercise, but at one year repeated measures analysis of variance showed no significant effects of treatment or interaction between treatment and time point.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The effects on quality of life of a low cost programme of light exercise are similar to those obtained from a high intensity exercise training programme.
authors.affiliation: Heart Research Centre, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Worcester
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Hare
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Oliver
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Reid
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Goble
mesh_terms: D001519:Behavior; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012050:Rehabilitation, Vocational; D012917:Social Adjustment