Why the study?
Although exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation is recommended at least three times weekly, high-frequency visits are often difficult, and the association between rehabilitation frequency and improved exercise tolerance is not well known.
Does participating in an exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation program once a week or more improve exercise tolerance in outpatients with cardiovascular disease?
Population
110 outpatients who participated in CR and performed CPET two times
Comparison
CR once a week or more (n = 75) vs less than once a week (n = 35)
Design
Retrospective observational study
Follow-up
Within 6 months
Key result
Participating in a cardiac rehabilitation program once a week or more improved exercise tolerance, including oxygen uptake and ventilatory efficiency, compared to less frequent participation.
Authors
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May support once-weekly cardiac rehabilitation for exercise tolerance gains; hypothesis-generating and leaves optimal frequency open for RCTs.
Observational (n=110)
Does participating in an exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation program once a week or more improve exercise tolerance in outpatients with cardiovascular disease?
Participating in cardiac rehabilitation at least once a week is sufficient to significantly improve exercise tolerance and cardiopulmonary exercise test parameters in outpatients with cardiovascular disease.
Bando et al. (2026) conducted an observational in Cardiovascular disease (n=110). Cardiac rehabilitation ≥1 time per week vs. Cardiac rehabilitation <1 time per week was evaluated on Changes in cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) results. Participating in a cardiac rehabilitation program once a week or more improved exercise tolerance, including oxygen uptake and ventilatory efficiency, compared to less frequent participation.