A 16-week Nordic-Walking program significantly improved total power of heart rate variability (2.6 vs 2.0 logms^2) and quality of life in post-treatment cancer patients compared to no exercise.
Does physical exercise improve heart rate variability and quality of life in cancer patients?
Physical exercise enhances cardiac autonomic regulation and quality of life in cancer patients during and after acute treatment.
Absolute Event Rate: 2.6% vs 2%
p-value: p=<0.05
The present study evaluated the effects of physical exercise on heart rate variability (HRV) in cancer patients. 3 matched groups of each 15 tumour patients (60.4±8.9 years, 27 male, 18 female) were recruited: Physical exercise group 1 (acute treatment), Physical exercise group 2 (post treatment) and non-intervention group (acute treatment, no exercise). Exercise group patients received counselling for exercise and participated in a Nordic-Walking program. Short-term HRV-recordings, assessments of fatigue and quality of life (QoL) were performed prior to and 16 weeks after the exercise program initiation. MANCOVA revealed group × time differences in total power frequency domain of HRV and QoL (p<0.05). TP follow-up scores logms(2) differed significantly between non-intervention and intervention post treatment (2.0±0.5 vs. 2.6±0.5), but not between non-intervention and intervention during acute treatment. QoL follow-up scores differed significantly between non-intervention and intervention during acute treatment (47±15 vs. 64±18) and post treatment (47±15 vs. 69±19). Exercise enhances cardiac autonomic regulation of tumour patients during and after acute treatment. Because of the association of higher HRV-parameters and prolonged survival in cancer patients, improvement in autonomic control may be an important goal of exercise.
Niederer et al. (2012) studied Cancer (n=45). Physical exercise (Nordic-Walking program) vs. Non-intervention (no exercise) was evaluated on Total power frequency domain of HRV (TP) post treatment [logms(2)] (p=<0.05). A 16-week Nordic-Walking program significantly improved total power of heart rate variability (2.6 vs 2.0 logms^2) and quality of life in post-treatment cancer patients compared to no exercise.