Article

BACKGROUND: Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is an evidence-based intervention to
increase survival and quality of life. Yet studies consistently show that elderly
patients are less frequently referred to CR, show less uptake and more often drop
out of CR programmes. DESIGN: The European study on effectiveness and
sustainability of current cardiac rehabilitation programmes in the elderly
(EU-CaRE) project consists of an observational study and an open prospective,
investigator-initiated multicentre randomised controlled trial (RCT) involving
mobile telemonitoring guided CR (mCR). OBJECTIVE: The aim of EU-CaRE is to map
the efficiency of current CR of the elderly in Europe, and to investigate whether
mCR is an effective alternative in terms of efficacy, adherence and
sustainability. METHODS AND RESULTS: The EU-CaRE study includes patients aged 65
years or older with ischaemic heart disease or who have undergone heart valve
surgery. A total of 1760 patients participating in existing CR programmes in
eight regions of Europe will be included. Of patients declining regular CR, 238
will be included in the RCT and randomised in two study arms. The experimental
group (mCR) will receive a personalised home-based programme while the control
group will receive no advice or coaching throughout the study period. Outcomes
will be assessed after the end of CR and at 12 months follow-up. The primary
outcome is VO2peak and secondary outcomes include variables describing CR uptake,
adherence, efficacy and sustainability. CONCLUSION: The study will provide
important information to improve CR in the elderly. The EU-CaRE RCT is the first
European multicentre study of mCR as an alternative for elderly patients not
attending usual CR.
CI - (c) The European Society of Cardiology 2016.

Langue : ANGLAIS