Effect of early cardiac rehabilitation program on cardiac function and exercise endurance in patients with acute myocardial infarction after percutaneous coronary intervention

Objective To investigate early cardiac rehabilitation program on short term and long term effect of patients with acute myocardial infarction after percutaneous coronary intervention. Methods A total of 98 acute myocardial infarction patients who undergo percutaneous coronary intervention were randomly assiged to the study group (n=49) and the control group (n=49). Participants in the control group received exercise training, while the study group carried out early cardiac rehabilitation program. The cardiac function, activity of daily living and exercise endurance were compared in both groups before and 1 week after intervention, in addition, the patient`s quality of life and the incidence of adverse cardiac events were also compared before and 6 months after intervention. Results After 1 week of intervention, the value of LVEF, LVDD, scores of activity of daily living and 6MWT were (56.74 ± 8.92)%, (49.29 ± 5.09)mm, (76.00 ± 5.95) and (378.12 ± 48.54)m in the study group, those index were (52.10 ± 7.44)%, (48.47 ± 4.04)mm, (72.93 ± 6.51), (355.69 ± 46.36)m in the control group, the LVEF, scores of activity of daily living and 6MWT were significantly increased in the study group compared to the control group (t=0.878-2.792, P<0.05). After 6 months of intervention, the scores physical function, role-physical, bodily pain, general health, vitality, social function, role-emotional, mental health were [(75.14 ± 12.15), (56.38 ± 7.65), (68.79 ± 6.65), (68.48 ± 10.91), (80.82 ± 7.12), (66.44 ± 9.61), (77.75 ± 13.05), (77.07 ± 8.46)] and [(72.70 ± 10.97), (52.05 ± 5.61), (62.07 ± 5.51), (65.76 ± 8.45), (78.33 ± 8.71), (65.20 ± 6.84), (72.53 ± 9.66), (75.49 ± 5.76)] in the study group and control group, respectively. The scores of role-physical, bodily pain, role-emotional were significantly increased in the study group compared to the control group (t=2.248-3.448, P<0.05). The study group showed lower incidence of angina and arrhythmia compared to the control group (4.08% and 6.12% vs 16.33% and 20.41%), the differences had statistical significance (χ2=4.009 and 4.346, P<0.05). Conclusion Early cardiac rehabilitation program improve the cardiac function and exercise endurance in patients with acute myocardial infarction after percutaneous coronary intervention, reduce the the incidence of adverse cardiac events and improved patients` quality of life. Key words: Cardiac rehabilitation; Aacute myocardial infarction; Percutaneous coronary intervention; Cardiac function; Quality of life