Key result
EECP combined with outpatient cardiac rehabilitation significantly increased ventilatory threshold by 60.5% and decreased PHQ9 depression scores by 51% compared to EECP alone.
Why the study?
Does adding outpatient cardiac rehabilitation to enhanced external counterpulsation improve functional capacity and decrease depression in patients undergoing EECP?
Cohort (n=91)
Does adding outpatient cardiac rehabilitation to enhanced external counterpulsation improve functional capacity and decrease depression in patients undergoing EECP?
Adding outpatient cardiac rehabilitation to enhanced external counterpulsation significantly improves ventilatory threshold and reduces depression compared to EECP alone.
Enhanced external counterpulsation (EECP®) is useful in reducing angina pectoris and increasing functional capacity in patients with coronary artery disease. We sought to determine whether undergoing EECP with outpatient cardiac rehabilitation (OP-CR) would potentiate functional capacity and ventilatory threshold and decrease depression. A retrospective analysis was conducted on all (n = 91) patients undergoing EECP from 2001 to 2012. Those who underwent EECP only (n = 56) were compared with those who underwent EECP with OP-CR (n = 35). Patients underwent cardiopulmonary testing and completed the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ9) before starting and on completion of EECP. A general linear mixed model was used to compare the impact of adding OP-CR to EECP. Mean values, standard deviations and standard errors of the mean were calculated for each subgroup. Both groups significantly decreased PHQ9 and increased aerobic exercise performance and ventilatory threshold, but the EECP with OP-CR group increased ventilatory threshold (by 60.5%) and decreased PHQ9 (by 51%) significantly more than the EECP-only group. This study indicates that participation in EECP is beneficial, with benefits increased when patients undergo simultaneous OP-CR.
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Lounsbury et al. (2015) conducted a cohort in coronary artery disease (n=91). Enhanced external counterpulsation (EECP) with outpatient cardiac rehabilitation vs. EECP only was evaluated on Ventilatory threshold and depression (PHQ9). EECP combined with outpatient cardiac rehabilitation significantly increased ventilatory threshold by 60.5% and decreased PHQ9 depression scores by 51% compared to EECP alone.
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