title: The influence of aerobic fitness status on ventilatory efficiency in patients with coronary artery disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To test the hypotheses that 1) coronary artery disease patients with lower aerobic fitness exhibit a lower ventilatory efficiency and 2) coronary artery disease patients with lower initial aerobic fitness exhibit greater improvements in ventilatory efficiency with aerobic exercise training.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 123 patients (61.0±0.7 years) with coronary artery disease were divided according to aerobic fitness status into 3 groups: group 1 (n = 34, peak VO₂<17.5 ml/kg/min), group 2 (n = 67, peak VO₂>17.5 and <24.5 ml/kg/min) and group 3 (n = 22, peak VO₂>24.5 ml/kg/min). All patients performed a cardiorespiratory exercise test on a treadmill. Ventilatory efficiency was determined by the lowest VE/VCO₂ ratio observed. The exercise training program comprised moderate-intensity aerobic exercise performed 3 times per week for 3 months. Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT02106533 RESULTS: Before intervention, group 1 exhibited both lower peak VO2 and lower ventilatory efficiency compared with the other 2 groups (p<0.05). After the exercise training program, group 1 exhibited greater improvements in aerobic fitness and ventilatory efficiency compared with the 2 other groups (group 1: ▵ = -2.5±0.5 units; group 2: ▵ = -0.8±0.3 units; and group 3: ▵ = -1.4±0.6 units, respectively; p<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Coronary artery disease patients with lower aerobic fitness status exhibited lower ventilatory efficiency during a graded exercise test. In addition, after 3 months of aerobic exercise training, only the patients with initially lower levels of aerobic fitness exhibited greater improvements in ventilatory efficiency.
authors: Cardiovascular Rehabilitation, Amil, Grupo Total Care, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors: Danilo M L
authors: DM
authors: Prado
authors: Cardiovascular Rehabilitation, Amil, Grupo Total Care, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors: Enéas A
authors: EA
authors: Rocco
authors: Cardiovascular Rehabilitation, Amil, Grupo Total Care, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors: Alexandre G
authors: AG
authors: Silva
authors: Cardiovascular Rehabilitation, Amil, Grupo Total Care, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors: Priscila F
authors: PF
authors: Silva
authors: Cardiovascular Rehabilitation, Amil, Grupo Total Care, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors: Jaqueline M
authors: JM
authors: Lazzari
authors: Cardiovascular Rehabilitation, Amil, Grupo Total Care, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors: Gabriela L
authors: GL
authors: Assumpção
authors: Cardiovascular Rehabilitation, Amil, Grupo Total Care, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors: Sheyla B
authors: SB
authors: Thies
authors: Cardiovascular Rehabilitation, Amil, Grupo Total Care, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors: Claudia Y
authors: CY
authors: Suzaki
authors: Cardiovascular Rehabilitation, Amil, Grupo Total Care, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors: Raphael S
authors: RS
authors: Puig
authors: Cardiovascular Rehabilitation, Amil, Grupo Total Care, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors: Valter
authors: V
authors: Furlan
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005080:Exercise Test; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology*; D012123:Pulmonary Ventilation / Q000502:physiology*; D012016:Reference Values; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome