ABSTRACT
Background: MoviS: 'Movement and health beyond care' is an ongoing randomized controlled trial aiming to educate breast cancer (BC) survivors on the benefits of exercise and proper nutrition habits. Methods: The study included thirty women (17.4% of the total planned cohort of 172 patients) with stage 0-III non-metastatic BC (age: 53.5±7.6 yrs;BMI: 25.3±4.9 kg/ m2) randomly allocated to the Intervention Arm (IA;supervised exercise training: “MoviS Training”) or control arm. The MoviS Training consists of 12 weeks of aerobic exercise (2 d/week of supervised and 1 d/week of unsupervised exercise) which intensity and duration gradually increased from 40 to 70% of heart rate reserve and from 20 to 60min, respectively. Both arms received nutritional and lifestyle counselling based on WCRF 2018 guidelines through the DIANA-Web platform and motivational interviewing. As the planned protocol was changed due to nationwide lockdown to contain the spread of COVID-19, IA performed home-based exercise sessions, which were remotely supervised using heart rate monitors. Heart rate variability (HRV;by 24-Holter monitoring), cardiac function indexes (by echocardiography with speckle tracking imaging), and cardiorespiratory fitness (by estimated maximal oxygen uptake [VO2max]) were evaluated at baseline and after the intervention period. Results: There were no adverse events during training. Baseline evaluation revealed no systolic disfunction (mean LVEF 60.4±4.5%) and a mild reduction (values 3 -18%) in global longitudinal strain in 26% of patients. HRV improved in both time and frequency domains: ASDNN/5min (50.6±14.4 to 55.2±16.7 msec, p=0.033);very low frequency (VLF) (1597±967 to 1881±963 msec, p=0.04);low frequency (LF) (613±404 to 731±542 msec, p=0.004);total power (2627±1393 to 3034±1669 msec, p=0.034). HRV parameters tended to improve to a greater extent in IA group (Coefficient of Variation: ASDNN/5min 13.7% vs 4.6%, LF 27% vs 10%, total power 26.5% vs 5.1%). Cardiorespiratory fitness level increased significantly in both groups (VO2max from 30.7±5.7 to 33.9±6.6mL/kg/min, p<0.001). Conclusion: During COVID-19 lockdown, short-term remotely supervised exercise training and recommendations on a healthy lifestyle lead to a significant improvement in HRV parameters and cardiorespiratory fitness in BC survivors.
ABSTRACT
Background: Breast cancer (BC) is the most common invasive cancer in women and evidence has shown that exercise can significantly improve the outcomes of BC survivors. MoviS: 'Movement and Health Beyond Care' is a randomized controlled trial, which aims to educate cancer patients after adjuvant therapy on the benefits of exercise and proper nutritional plan. Material (patients) and methods: Thirty women with stage 0-III non-metastatic BC recruited 12-month postsurgery (age: 53.5±7.6;BMI: 25.3±4.9) were randomized in two groups: intervention arm received 3-month aerobic training (40-70% of the heart rate reserve;20 to 60 min 3-day/week);control arm with usual care recommendations. Patients enrolled in January 2020 were monitored for diet habits by DianaWeb platform, they carried out the exercise training across the COVID-19 pandemic shifting from the gym to a home-based exercise program. The objective was to investigate the effects of lifestyle program on quality of life by EORTC QLQ-C30 and health-related QoL parameters such as cardiac function indexes;heart rate variability (HRV) (by repeated Holter 24h) and cardiorespiratory fitness by estimated maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max). Results: There were no adverse events and a high attendance was registered considering the challenges to be overcome in shifting to a home-based exercise program. Statistical analysis revealed a significant improvement in both arms in QLQ scale score: in global health status (from 64.7±17 to 15.9±13;coefficient of variation (CV) 15.9%;p=0.0015);physical functioning (from 54.4±12.3 to 6±6.6;CV 13.9%;p=0.0005);fatigue (from 26.3±23.4 to 11.9±14.3;CV -54.9%;p=0.0008) and showed a general improvement over time even on the social functioning (from 47.2 ± 22.8 to 66.7±00;CV 41.2%;p=0.0001). Both groups had a significant improvement in HRV parameters in both time and frequency domain: average SDNN/5min and VLF increased (from 50.6±14.4 to 55.2±16.7msec, p=0.033 and form 1597±967 to 1881±963 msec, p=0.04, respectively);mean heart rate decreased (from 76.6 ±7.8 to 73.7±8.3 bpm after training, p=0.009) and both arms improved the cardiorespiratory fitness level (VO2max from 30.7±5.7 to 33.9±6.64 mL/kg/min;CV 10.3%;p<0.001). Conclusions: Despite the challenges faced during the pandemic, a change in lifestyle integrating exercises, nutrition and educational counseling provides benefit to BC patients when delivered in a clinic-based setting group including the exercise specialists.