Functional recovery after cardiac rehabilitation.
OBJECTIVE
To study the effect of a cardiac rehabilitation programme based on the guidelines of the Dutch Heart Association (DHA).


METHODS
Randomized controlled trial with a waiting list control group.


METHODS
Outpatient clinic of Rehabilitation Centre Amsterdam.


METHODS
Forty patients with a first myocardial infarction.


METHODS
Immediately after randomization the experimental group started the rehabilitation programme; the waiting list control group started after six weeks. No other type of treatment was given during the waiting period.


METHODS
Physical recovery, tested by means of an exercise test on a bicycle ergometer, and feelings of well-being (MPVH-W), handicap (MPVH-H) and distress (MPVH-D), tested using a Dutch questionnaire: the Medische Psychologische Vragenlijst voor Hartpatiënten, MPVH (medical psychological questionnaire for cardiac patients).


RESULTS
The adjusted treatment effects of the cardiac rehabilitation programme were 4.72% on the exercise test, 3.43 points on MPVH-W, -1.93 points on MPVH-H, and 0.12 points on MPVH-D. These effects were not statistically significant.


CONCLUSIONS
Changes after a cardiac rehabilitation programme are relatively small, but are found in both the physical and the psychosocial domain.
van Houten
C D
CD
Rehabilitation Centre Amsterdam, The Netherlands. cdvanhouten@planet.nl
Angenot
E L D
EL
Lankhorst
G J
GJ
Devilleé
W
W
Beckerman
H
H
D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D009426:Netherlands; D020127:Recovery of Function