title: Importance of exercise training session duration in the rehabilitation of coronary artery disease patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In cardiac rehabilitation, 40-60-min exercise training sessions are advised. However, because of the increasing coronary artery disease (CAD) prevalence and higher workload for cardiac rehabilitation centres, it remains unclear whether 40-min exercise training sessions are equally effective as 60-min exercise training sessions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective randomized clinical trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and thirty-four CAD patients were included in a 7-week rehabilitation programme. All patients exercised 3 days per week, at a heart rate corresponding to 65% of baseline peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak). Patients were randomized in two groups: 40 versus 60-min exercise training sessions. Changes of body anthropometrics, resting haemodynamics, exercise capacity and ventilatory threshold, blood plasma lipid profile and C-reactive protein level were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  As a result of rehabilitation, exercise capacity, ventilatory threshold, and blood plasma lipid profile improved significantly in the total population (P<0.05), without differences between subgroups (P>0.05). Body weight and waist circumference decreased significantly in total population (P<0.01), but with a greater magnitude in the 40 versus 60-min exercise session group (P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the early rehabilitation of CAD patients, 40-min exercise training sessions seem to be at least as effective for improving body anthropometrics, blood plasma lipid profile and exercise capacity, as compared with 60-min exercise training sessions.
authors.affiliation: Virga Jesse Hospital, Rehabilitation and Health Centre, Hasselt, Belgium.
authors.forename: Dominique
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dendale
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Berger
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Onkelinx
authors.forename: Ilse
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Reyckers
authors.forename: Annelies
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hermans
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vaes
authors.forename: Veerle
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Reenaers
authors.forename: Romain
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Meeusen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000886:Anthropometry; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D017079:Exercise Tolerance; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D011659:Pulmonary Gas Exchange; D012119:Respiration
chemical_list: D008055:Lipids; D002097:C-Reactive Protein