Article

OBJECTIVE: To examine differences in physiologic and psychosocial outcomes
between age groups after an exercise-based supervised-recovery phase II cardiac
rehabilitation outpatient program. DESIGN: This is a longitudinal observational study. The study assessed 442 consecutive cardiac patients. Patients were divided
into the middle-aged group
(<65 yrs, n = 242) and older-age group (> or =65 yrs,
n = 200). Peak oxygen uptake, handgrip and knee extensor muscle strength, upper-
and lower-body self-efficacy for physical activity, and physical component
summary and mental component summary scores as assessed by SF-36 were measured at
1 and 3 mos after the onset of acute myocardial infarction or cardiac surgery and
were compared. RESULTS: All physiologic and psychosocial outcomes increased
significantly between months 1 and 3 in both groups. However, increases were
greater in the middle-aged vs. older-aged group in peak oxygen uptake (+13.1% vs.
+8.7%, P < 0.01), knee extensor muscle strength (+17.6% vs. +13.3%, P = 0.01),
lower-body self-efficacy for physical activity (+17.3% vs. +12.7%, P = 0.02), and
physical component summary score (+5.4% vs. +2.7%, P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS:
Age-related differences in various physiologic and psychosocial measures
indicated greater improvement from an exercise-based supervised recovery-phase II
cardiac rehabilitation outpatient program in middle-aged vs. older-aged patients.
Older adults may derive equal mental or emotional benefit from such a cardiac
rehabilitation program but do not experience as much improvement in physiologic
outcomes as middle-aged adults.

Langue : ANGLAIS