Alternatives to Aerobic Exercise Prescription in Patients with Chronic Heart Failure.

BACKGROUND: Exercise is essential for patients with heart failure as it leads to a reduction in morbidity and mortality as well as improved functional capacity and oxygen uptake (v̇O2). However, the need for an experienced physiologist and the cost of the exam may render the cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) unfeasible. Thus, the six-minute walk test (6MWT) and step test (ST) may be alternatives for exercise prescription. OBJECTIVE: The aim was to correlate heart rate (HR) during the 6MWT and ST with HR at the anaerobic threshold (HRAT) and peak HR (HRP) obtained on the CPET. METHODS: Eighty-three patients (58 ± 11 years) with heart failure (NYHA class II) were included and all subjects had optimized medication for at least 3 months. Evaluations involved CPET (v̇O2, HRAT, HRP), 6MWT (HR6MWT) and ST (HRST). RESULTS: The participants exhibited severe ventricular dysfunction (ejection fraction: 31 ± 7%) and low peak v̇O2 (15.2 ± 3.1 mL.kg-1.min-1). HRP (113 ± 19 bpm) was higher than HRAT (92 ± 14 bpm; p < 0.05) and HR6MWT (94 ± 13 bpm; p < 0.05). No significant difference was found between HRP and HRST. Moreover, a strong correlation was found between HRAT and HR6MWT (r = 0.81; p < 0.0001), and between HRP and HRST (r = 0.89; p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that, in the absence of CPET, exercise prescription can be performed by use of 6MWT and ST, based on HR6MWT and HRST.

Alternatives to Aerobic Exercise Prescription in Patients with Chronic Heart Failure / Alternativas para Prescrição de Exercício Aeróbio a Pacientes com Insuficiência Cardíaca

Background: Exercise is essential for patients with heart failure as it leads to a reduction in morbidity and mortality as well as improved functional capacity and oxygen uptake (v̇O2). However, the need for an experienced physiologist and the cost of the exam may render the cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) unfeasible. Thus, the six-minute walk test (6MWT) and step test (ST) may be alternatives for exercise prescription. Objective: The aim was to correlate heart rate (HR) during the 6MWT and ST with HR at the anaerobic threshold (HRAT) and peak HR (HRP) obtained on the CPET. Methods: Eighty-three patients (58 ± 11 years) with heart failure (NYHA class II) were included and all subjects had optimized medication for at least 3 months. Evaluations involved CPET (v̇O2, HRAT, HRP), 6MWT (HR6MWT) and ST (HRST). Results: The participants exhibited severe ventricular dysfunction (ejection fraction: 31 ± 7%) and low peak v̇O2 (15.2 ± 3.1 mL.kg-1.min-1). HRP (113 ± 19 bpm) was higher than HRAT (92 ± 14 bpm; p < 0.05) and HR6MWT (94 ± 13 bpm; p < 0.05). No significant difference was found between HRP and HRST. Moreover, a strong correlation was found between HRAT and HR6MWT (r = 0.81; p < 0.0001), and between HRP and HRST (r = 0.89; p < 0.0001). Conclusion: These findings suggest that, in the absence of CPET, exercise prescription can be performed by use of 6MWT and ST, based on HR6MWT and HRST.

Fundamento: O exercício físico é fundamental para pacientes com insuficiência cardíaca, pois reduz a morbimortalidade e melhora a capacidade funcional e o consumo de oxigênio (v̇O2). Entretanto, a realização do teste de exercício cardiopulmonar (TECP) pode se tornar inviável, devido à necessidade de médico capacitado e ao alto custo deste exame. Assim, o teste de caminhada de 6 minutos (TC6M) e o teste do degrau (TD) emergem como alternativas para a prescrição de exercício. Objetivo: Correlacionar a frequência cardíaca (FC) durante o TC6M e o TD com a FC no limiar aeróbio (FCLA) e a FC no pico do exercício (FCP), obtidas no TECP. Métodos: Foram incluídos 83 pacientes (58 ± 11 anos) com insuficiência cardíaca (NYHA classe II), com medicação otimizada por pelo menos 3 meses. Foram realizados TECP (v̇O2, FCLA e FCP), TC6M (FCTC6M) e TD (FCTD). Resultados: Os pacientes apresentavam disfunção ventricular grave (fração de ejeção: 31 ± 7%) e baixo v̇O2 pico (15,2 ± 3,1 ml.kg-1.min-1). A FCP (113 ± 19 bpm) foi maior que a FCLA (92 ± 14 bpm; p < 0,05) e a FCTC6M (94 ± 13 bpm; p < 0,05). Não houve diferença entre FCP e FCTD. Além disso, observou-se forte correlação entre a FCLA e a FCTC6M (r = 0,81; p < 0,0001) e entre a FCP e a FCTD (r = 0,89; p < 0,0001). Conclusão: Os resultados obtidos sugerem ser viável a prescrição de exercício através do TC6M e do TD, com base na FCTC6M e na FCTD, na ausência do TECP.