Cardiac rehabilitation reduced hospitalization for worsening heart failure in older CVD patients before COVID-19 (HR 0.538, p=0.043) but impact was disrupted during the pandemic.
Does a 4-month outpatient cardiac rehabilitation program reduce hospitalization for worsening HF in older patients with cardiovascular disease?
Outpatient cardiac rehabilitation is associated with reduced hospitalization for worsening heart failure in older patients with cardiovascular disease, though the COVID-19 pandemic attenuated the strength of this association.
Absolute Event Rate: 0% vs 0%
ABSTRACT Aim During the COVID‐19 pandemic, some patients experienced difficulty attending regular in‐hospital cardiac rehabilitation (CR) after discharge. This study investigated the impact of CR in older patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD) by comparing outcomes before, during, and after the COVID‐19 pandemic. Methods In this post hoc analysis of a single‐center registry, 505 patients aged ≥ 65 years (mean age 82) were included. Outcomes were compared between participants in a 4‐month outpatient CR program after discharge and non‐participants. Patients were categorized into three periods: before the COVID‐19 pandemic ( n = 173), during the COVID‐19 pandemic ( n = 217), and after the COVID‐19 pandemic ( n = 105). Cardiovascular (CV) events and non‐CV events were followed. Results As the primary endpoint, cumulative hospitalization for worsening HF was significantly lower in the CR group across all time periods ( p < 0.001, p < 0.001, and p = 0.019, respectively). Cumulative non‐CV event‐free survival was significantly higher in the CR group before and after the COVID‐19 pandemic ( p < 0.001, p = 0.030, respectively) but showed no significant differences during the pandemic. Before the pandemic, participation in CR was significantly associated with hospitalization for worsening HF (hazard ratio HR, 0.538; 95% confidence interval CI, 0.294–0.982; p = 0.043). During and after the pandemic, this association was not. Conclusion CR appears to have a protective effect against CV events in older patients with CVD. Although the COVID‐19 pandemic disrupted this positive trend, the findings support CR as a cornerstone of recovery in this population.
Hirashiki et al. (Sun,) reported a other. Cardiac rehabilitation reduced hospitalization for worsening heart failure in older CVD patients before COVID-19 (HR 0.538, p=0.043) but impact was disrupted during the pandemic.