title: Long-term effects of high-intensity interval training in heart transplant recipients: A 5-year follow-up study of a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: Previous studies have demonstrated that high-intensity interval training (HIT) is superior to moderate-continuous exercise in general and in cardiovascular diseases. Recently, we also found HIT safe and efficient after heart transplantation (HTx). This study reports the 5-year long-term effects.
  
  
  
  Forty-one HTx patients who had completed the previous 12-month randomized controlled trial, comparing HIT intervention with usual care, were eligible. In particular, we measured VO2peak, muscular capacity, intravascular ultrasound, and questionnaires measuring physical and mental health.
  
  
  
  The baseline mean±SD values were as follows: age; 49.1±16.5 years, men; 68%, time since HTx: 4.1±2.2 years. Within the HIT group, initial VO2peakincreased significantly from 27.7±5.7 to 31.2±5.3 mL/kg/min. However, during the next 4 years, VO2peakdecreased to 26.0±6.2 mL/kg/min. The control group showed slightly decreasing VO2peakvalues during the entire 5-year period. The HIT group reported significantly less anxiety symptoms, but there were no long-term differences in VO2peak, muscular capacity, or cardiac allograft vasculopathy between the groups. The similar VO2peakvalues correspond to our findings of similar everyday activity.
  
  
  
  Our findings suggest that intermittent periods of HIT may be necessary to maintain the initial benefits gained from the intervention. However, HIT probably reduces the burden of anxiety, which is a frequent health issue following HTx.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Oslo University Hospital, Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway.|The Norwegian Health Association, Oslo, Norway.|Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Marianne
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yardley
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Oslo University Hospital, Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway.|Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.|Center for Heart Failure Research, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gullestad
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Oslo University Hospital, Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway.|Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Bjørn
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bendz
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Oslo University Hospital, Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bjørkelund
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Oslo University Hospital, Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Katrine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rolid
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Oslo University Hospital, Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Satish
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arora
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Oslo University Hospital, Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway.|Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Kari
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nytrøen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D000072696:High-Intensity Interval Training / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D011379:Prognosis; D013997:Time Factors; D066027:Transplant Recipients
keywords: anxiety; clinical trial; exercise; exercise test; heart transplantation; physical fitness; rehabilitation; time