Sex and Age Differences in Exercise Frequency and Exercise Capacity After Home-Based Cardiac Rehabilitation During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic.

Background: The impact of home-based cardiac rehabilitation (HBCR) during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on changes in exercise frequency and capacity according to sex and age has not been studied.

Methods and results: This cohort study included 118 patients participating in HBCR and 149 patients participating in center-based cardiac rehabilitation (CBCR) for whom data on exercise and peak oxygen uptake (V̇O_2peak) were available at program enrollment and completion. Changes in these parameters were compared HBCR and CBCR, and according to sex and age in the HBCR group. The change in HBCR group was equivalent to or superior to CBCR group. In the HBCR group, there were no differences between males and females in the change in exercise (1.7±2.7 vs. 1.6±2.5 days/week and 18±19 vs. 19±18 min/day), or V̇O_2peak(5.5±6.5 vs. 3.8±4.5 mL/kg/min). Although there was no difference in the change in exercise between the younger and older groups (1.4±2.7 vs. 1.9±2.7 days/week and 19±19 vs. 17±18 min/day), the increase in V̇O_2peakwas greater for younger than older patients (7.1±6.1 vs. 3.2±5.3 mL/kg/min). After adjustment for potential confounders, linear regression revealed that the change in V̇O_2peakwas larger among younger patients.

Conclusions: During the COVID-19 pandemic, exercise frequency and capacity increased similarly among men and women. Younger patients showed a greater improvement in exercise capacity than older patients.