title: Impact of an outpatient cardiac rehabilitation program on clinical and analytical variables in cardiovascular disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to determine the effect of lifestyle changes in patients participating in a cardiac rehabilitation program.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with cardiovascular disease (N = 59) were enrolled in cardiac rehabilitation, which included nutritional and exercise interventions. All patients completed the program, but only 44 attended the reassessment after 12 months because of work reasons or lack of time or interest.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ergometry before and after cardiac rehabilitation showed significant differences in exercise tolerance time (5.2 ± 1.8 minutes vs 7.1 ± 2.1 minutes; P< .001), metabolic equivalents (6.5 ± 1.8 vs 8.8 ± 2.2; P< .001), and the Börg rating of perceived exertion scale (12 ± 1.8 points vs 13.7 ± 1.6 points; P= .005). At the end of the intervention program, significant improvements were seen in body weight (82.6 ± 15.2 kg vs 80.8 ± 14.3 kg; P< .001), waist circumference (100.3 ± 12.4 cm vs 98.0 ± 11.0 cm; P= .002), and levels of fasting glucose (126.5 ± 44.6 mmol/L vs 109.6 ± 24.8 mmol/L; P< .001), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (2.7 ± 0.9 mmol/L vs 2.5 ± 0.8 mmol/L; P= .033), and C-reactive protein (5.1 ± 8.7 μg/mL vs 4.1 ± 2.6 μg/mL; P= .008), as well as in adherence to a healthy diet as estimated by the Trichopoulou questionnaire score (7.9 ± 2.3 vs 10.6 ± 1.5; P< .001). Twelve months later, however, many of these benefits had either remained stable or worsened.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cardiac rehabilitation is an appropriate program for the improvement of clinical and analytical variables, such as functional capacity, carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, anthropometric measures, and diet. However, 12 months later, many of these benefits either remained stable or worsened.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Endocrinology and Nutrition (Drs Roca-Rodríguez, García-Almeida, and Tinahones-Madueño and Mss Ruiz-Nava, Saracho-Domínguez, and Rioja-Vázquez), Cardiology (Dr Montiel-Trujillo), and Rehabilitation (Ms García-Fernández and Dr Gómez-González), Virgen de la Victoria Hospital, Malaga, Spain; and Virgen de la Victoria Hospital Investigation Unit (IMABIS), Malaga, Spain (Drs Roca-Rodríguez and Tinahones-Madueño and Mr Alcaide-Torres).
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Roca-Rodríguez
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: García-Almeida
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ruiz-Nava
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Alcaide-Torres
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Saracho-Domínguez
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rioja-Vázquez
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: García-Fernández
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gómez-González
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Montiel-Trujillo
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Tinahones-Madueño
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D000072038:Cardiac Rehabilitation; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D016552:Ergometry / Q000379:methods; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000379:methods; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D044623:Nutrition Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D015397:Program Evaluation; D015431:Weight Loss