Table 1 Description of the patient populations and characteristics of the exercise training programs
Author | Year | Origin | Design | Patient population | NYHA | Age (year) | Number at baseline | Exercise intervention | Control | Assessment of physical fitness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mereles et al. | 2006 | Germany | Cross-over | PAH (80%) or chronic pulmonary thromboembolic disease (20%) | II - IV | 50 | Intervention: 15 (10 female/5 male); Control: 15 (10 female/5 male) | 3 weeks in-hospital + 12 weeks home-based aerobic interval training along with resistance and respiratory exercises, 5 sessions/week, 30-60 min/session, 60-80% of peak HR | Usual care | 6MWT, CPET |
Martinez-Quintana et al. | 2010 | Spain | Parallel | PAH associated with congenital heart disease | II - IV | 27.7 | Intervention: 4 (2 female/2 male); Control: 4 (3 female, 1 male) | 3 months supervised aerobic interval training and resistance exercise, 2 sessions/week, 30-60 min/session, 60-80% of peak HR | Usual care | 6MWT |
Fox et al. | 2011 | Israel | Parallel | PAH (91%) or chronic thromboembolic PH (9%) | II - III | 51.5 | Intervention: 11 (10 female/1 male); Control: 11 (5 female, 6 male) | 3 months supervised continuous aerobic and resistance exercise, 2 sessions/week, 60 min/session, 60-80% of peak HR | Usual care | 6MWT, CPET |
Ley et al. | 2013 | Germany | Parallel | PAH (80%) or chronic inoperable tromboembolic PH (20%) | II - III | 50.5 | Intervention: 10 (8 female/2 male); Control: 10 (6 female, 4 male) | 3 weeks supervised aerobic interval training along with resistance and respiratory exercises, 5 sessions/week, 30-60 min/session, 60-80% of peak HR | Usual care | 6MWT |
Chan et al. | 2013 | USA | Parallel | PAH | I - IV | 54.4 | Intervention: 13 (13 female/0 male); Control: 13 (13 female, 0 male) | 10 weeks supervised treadmill walking, 3 sessions/week, 30-45 min/session, 70-80% of heart rate reserve + patient education | Patient education only | 6MWT, CPET |