title: A preliminary study to examine the effects of aerobic and therapeutic (nonaerobic) exercise on cardiorespiratory fitness and coronary risk reduction in stroke survivors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the effects of 3 different exercise training regimens on cardiorespiratory fitness and coronary risk factor reduction in subjects with unilateral stroke.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cluster assignment by residential location repeated-measures design.
  
  
  METHODS
  University-based medical center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-five subjects with unilateral ischemic stroke were assigned to the following groups: intensity (n=18), duration (n=19), and therapeutic exercise (n=18).
  
  
  METHODS
  A 14-week intervention with subjects randomized to 1 of 3 interventions: (1) moderate intensity, shorter duration (MISD) exercise (gradually increasing exercise intensity while keeping exercise duration constant at 30 min), (2) low-intensity, longer duration (LILD) exercise (gradually increasing duration to 60 min while keeping exercise intensity constant), or (3) conventional therapeutic exercise (TE) consisting mainly of strength, balance, and range of motion activities. All groups exercised 3 days per week.
  
  
  METHODS
  Peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak), submaximal oxygen consumption (VO2), lipid panel, and resting blood pressure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The MISD group attained more favorable effects on systolic (P<.04) and diastolic blood pressure (P<.002) and total cholesterol (TC) (P<.036) compared with LILD and TE groups. Both MISD (P<.029) and LILD (P<.045) showed significant reductions in triglycerides compared with TE (P<.029). There was no significant change in VO2peak and submaximal VO2 in any of the groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Overall, both MISD and LILD conditions achieved greater clinical and significant gains in coronary risk reduction compared with TE.
authors.affiliation: Department of Disability and Human Development, University of Illinois, Chicago, IL 60608-6904, USA.
authors.forename: James H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Rimmer
authors.forename: Amy E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Rauworth
authors.forename: Edward C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Terry L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Nicola
authors.forename: Bernadette
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hill
mesh_terms: D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D005080:Exercise Test; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000145:classification* / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018908:Muscle Weakness / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D010809:Physical Fitness; D010865:Pilot Projects; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation