Effect of aerobic exercise combined with routine rehabilitation therapy on cardiopulmonary exercise function and rehabilitation efficacy in stroke patients with hemiplegia / 中国脑血管病杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the effect of aerobic exercise combined with routine rehabilitation therapy on cardiorespiratory exercise function and rehabilitation efficacy in stroke patients with hemiplegia.Methods Thirty consecutive stroke patients with the first-ever hemiplegia were enrolled prospectively.They were randomly assigned to an experimental group (n=13) or a control group (n=13) according to the random number table (n=15 in each group).Four patients withdrew,and finally 26 patients completed the study (n=13 in each group).The two groups of patients were given routine rehabilitation therapy.On the basis of routine rehabilitation therapy,the experimental group was also treated with aerobic exercise training,once a day,30 min each time for 4 weeks.The evaluations of cardiopulmonary exercise tests were performed on both groups before treatment and after 4 weeks of treatment (peak oxygen uptake [VO2peak]),anaerobic threshold [AT],peak minute ventilation [VEpeak]),and motor function (Fugl-Meyer assessment scale [FMA],activities of daily living (Barthel index [BI]) were performed.The differences between the two groups before and after treatment were compared.Results (1)Cardiopulmonary exercise test results:Compared with before treatment,VO2peak,AT,and VEpeak were increased significantly (16±4 ml/[kg·min] vs.13±3 ml/[kg·min],12.9±2.5 kg·min vs.10.0±2.7 ml/[kg·min],41±12 L/min vs.34±9 L/min,t=9.668,4.328,and 3.662,respectively,all P0.05).The differences in VO2peak,AT,and VEpeak in the patients of the control group before and after treatment were 0.4 (0.2,0.6),0.1 (-0.5,0.7 ml/kg·min) and 0 (-2.5,5.0 L/min),respectively.The differences of VO2peak,AT,and VEpeak in patients of the experimental group before and after treatment were 3.0 (2.2,3.9 ml/[kg·min],2.7 (1.8,5.3 ml/[kg·min],and 7.0 (1.0,13.0 L/min),respectively.There were significant differences in VO2peak,AT,and VEpeak before and after treatment between the two groups (Z=4.287,3.721,and 2.236,respectively,P0.05).Conclusion On the basis of routine rehabilitation therapy,stroke patients with hemiplegia increasing aerobic exercise training may improve their cardiopulmonary exercise function.