Clinical profile and outcomes of diabetic and nondiabetic patients in cardiac rehabilitation.
BACKGROUND
Patients with diabetes mellitus have increased risk of cardiovascular disease; however, there are limited data addressing cardiac rehabilitation in these patients. This study assessed the effectiveness of participation in cardiac rehabilitation on clinical outcomes after myocardial infarction and/or revascularization procedures in diabetic and nondiabetic patients.


METHODS
Analysis on 1505 patients completing a minimum of 7 weeks of a 12-week cardiac rehabilitation program included fasting lipid profile and glucose, body mass index, and metabolic equivalent time in patients with diabetes (n = 292) and without diabetes (n = 1213).


RESULTS
There were significant improvements in total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) in each group after cardiac rehabilitation. Diabetic women and nondiabetic men had the greatest improvement in HDL-C, with an improvement of 4.9% in diabetic women (P = .02) and an improvement of 4.1% in nondiabetic men (P < or = .0001). On completion of cardiac rehabilitation, both diabetic and nondiabetic patients were at National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III goals in total cholesterol, LDL-C, HDL-C, and triglycerides at a higher rate. However, patients with diabetes did not reach National Cholesterol Education Program goals for HDL-C, total cholesterol, and triglycerides as effectively as nondiabetic patients. Exercise capacity improved by 28.1% in diabetic patients after cardiac rehabilitation (P < .0001). Improvement in outcomes in the patients with diabetes occurred without significant change in body mass index.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that participation in a comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation program integrates care of patients with chronic conditions such as diabetes to achieve comparable cardiac risk factor reduction as achieved with nondiabetic patients.
Hindman
Lisa
L
McConnell Heart Health Center, Riverside Methodist Hospital, Columbus, Ohio, USA.
Falko
James M
JM
LaLonde
Michelle
M
Snow
Richard
R
Caulin-Glaser
Teresa
T
D048909:Diabetes Complications / Q000097:blood / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005260:Female; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged