Effect of Inpatient Cardiac Rehabilitation Combined with Waon Therapy on Exercise Capacity in Elderly Patients with Heart Failure: A Pilot Study.

Objectives: Inpatient cardiac rehabilitation (CR) and pharmacotherapy are important for better in-hospital outcomes in elderly heart failure (HF) patients. We aimed to examine whether conventional CR combined with Waon therapy (Waon-CR) improves exercise capacity compared to CR alone in elderly HF patients.

Methods: Decompensated and hospitalized HF patients who could not walk independently over 200 m were recruited. Patients admitted from May 2020 to March 2021 and from April 2021 to March 2024 were included in the CR and Waon-CR groups, respectively. Participants underwent a 5-session program during hospitalization. The main outcome measure was a 6-minute walk distance (6MWD) at the completion of the program. We also investigated exercise-related adverse events.

Results: A total of 34 patients (mean age 79.5 years, 13 males) were enrolled, including 18 patients in the CR group and 16 patients in the Waon-CR group. The 6MWD after the 5-session program was longer in the Waon-CR group than in the CR group (362.2 ± 103.7 vs. 286.3 ± 100.6 m, p = 0.038). Significant improvement of the 6MWD was demonstrated in the Waon-CR group after adjusting for confounding factors (adjusted B, 147.0 m; 95% confidence interval, 41.3-252.8 m, p = 0.012). There were no adverse events during the hospital stay.

Conclusions: Inpatient Waon-CR was feasible and led to improved 6MWD in elderly HF patients at the completion of the 5-session program.