title: Increasing the medium-term clinical benefits of hospital-based cardiac rehabilitation by physical activity telemonitoring in coronary artery disease patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of a physical activity telemonitoring program on daily physical activity level, oxygen uptake capacity (VO(2peak)), and cardiovascular risk profile in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients who completed phase II cardiac rehabilitation (CR).
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty CAD patients who completed phase II CR were randomly assigned to an additional telemonitoring intervention or standard CR. The patients in the intervention group (n = 40) wore a motion sensor continuously for 18 weeks. Each week these patients received a step count goal, with the aim to gradually increase the patients' physical activity level. In the control group (n = 40), the patients wore an unreadable motion sensor for seven days for measurement purposes only (at start of follow-up, and after six and 18 weeks). At start of follow-up and after 18 weeks blood lipid profile, glycemic control, waist circumference and body mass index was assessed. VO(2peak) was assessed at start of follow-up, and after six and 18 weeks. Re-hospitalisation rate was followed during this timeframe.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the intervention group, VO(2peak) increased significantly during follow-up (P = 0.001), in the control group it did not (P = 0.273). A significant correlation was found between daily aerobic step count and improvement in VO(2peak) (P = 0.030, r = 0.47). Kaplan-Meier curve analysis showed a trend towards fewer re-hospitalisations for patients in the telemonitoring group (P = 0.09).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study showed that, to maintain exercise tolerance and lower re-hospitalisation rate after hospital-based CR in CAD patients, a physical activity telemonitoring program might be an effective intervention.
authors.affiliation: Catholic University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium ines.frederix@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ines
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Frederix
authors.affiliation: University of Hasselt, Hasselt, Belgium.
authors.forename: Niels
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Van Driessche
authors.affiliation: University of Hasselt, Hasselt, Belgium Jessa Hospital, Hasselt, Belgium.
authors.forename: Dominique
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.affiliation: Jessa Hospital, Hasselt, Belgium.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Berger
authors.affiliation: Jessa Hospital, Hasselt, Belgium.
authors.forename: Kim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bonne
authors.affiliation: Jessa Hospital, Hasselt, Belgium.
authors.forename: Toon
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Alders
authors.affiliation: University of Hasselt, Hasselt, Belgium Jessa Hospital, Hasselt, Belgium.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dendale
mesh_terms: D061725:Accelerometry / Q000379:methods; D000368:Aged; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D017079:Exercise Tolerance / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology; D010359:Patient Readmission; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013686:Telemetry / Q000379:methods*
keywords: 3D accelerometer; Physical activity; coronary artery disease; peak oxygen uptake; telemonitoring