Effect of exercise intensity and frequency on lipid levels in men with coronary heart disease: Training Level Comparison Trial.
The objective of the Training Level Comparison Trial was to determine whether a more intense exercise program versus a less intensive program has additional favorable effects on blood lipids in men with coronary heart disease (CHD) over a 12-month period. The study-a randomized, controlled trial conducted at 2 clinical centers-enrolled 185 patients with documented CHD. A simple randomization procedure led to unequal numbers of patients in the 2 interventions: 82 in the low-intensity and 103 in the high-intensity group. Target heart rate during exercise corresponded to 50% of maximum oxygen uptake (VO(2 max)) +/- 5 beats/min in the low-intensity group and 85% +/- 5 beats/min in the high-intensity group. The intensity of exercise made little difference on lipid improvements. However, the attendance rates for the 6- and 12-month periods (percentage of total exercise sessions attended) were significantly related to increased high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (r(s) [Spearman rank correlation coefficient 0.20 to 0.26, p <0.05]), and decreases in the ratios of low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-to-HDL cholesterol (LDL:HDL, r(s) = -0.24 to -0.28, p < 0.01) and total-to-HDL cholesterol (total:HDL, r(s) = -0.25 to -0.29, p < 0.01) at 6 and 12 months. The relation of the attendance rate to LDL:HDL and total:HDL ratios remained significant in repeated-measures regression analysis. Exercise frequency may be more important than intensity in improving HDL cholesterol and LDL:HDL and total:HDL ratios in men with CHD.
Kim
J R
JR
Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Chinju, South Korea.
Oberman
A
A
Fletcher
G F
GF
Lee
J Y
JY
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001835:Body Weight; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood*; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000628:therapy*; D004522:Educational Status; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D012044:Regression Analysis
D002784:Cholesterol