ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: There is a well-known correlation between obesity, sedentary lifestyle, and breast cancer incidence and outcome. The Arbeitsgemeinschaft Medikamentöse Tumortherapie (AGMT) exercise study was a multicenter, randomized clinical trial and assessed the feasibility and efficacy of physical training in 50 breast cancer patients undergoing aromatase inhibitor treatment. METHODS: Postmenopausal, estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer patients under aromatase inhibitor treatment were randomized 1:1 to counseling and unsupervised training for 48 weeks (unsupervised arm) or counseling and a sequential training (supervised arm) with a supervised phase (24 weeks) followed by unsupervised physical training (further 24 weeks). Primary endpoint was the individual maximum power output on a cycle ergometer after 24 weeks of exercise. A key secondary endpoint was the feasibility of achieving 12 METh/week (metabolic equivalent of task hours per week). RESULTS: Twenty-three patients (92%) in the unsupervised arm and 19 patients (76%) in the supervised arm with early-stage breast cancer completed the study. After 24 weeks, the supervised arm achieved a significantly higher maximum output in watt (mean 132 ± standard deviation [SD] 34; 95% confidence interval [CI] 117-147) compared to baseline (107 ± 25; 95%CI 97-117; P = 0.012) with a numerically higher output than the unsupervised arm (week 24 115 ± 25; 95%CI 105-125; P = 0.059). Significantly higher METh/week was reported in the supervised arm compared to the unsupervised arm during the whole study period (week 1-24 unsupervised: 18.3 (7.6-58.3); supervised: 28.5 (6.7-40.1); P = 0.043; week 25-48; P = 0.041)). CONCLUSION: This trial indicates that patients in an exercise program achieve higher fitness levels during supervised than unsupervised training.
Subject(s)
Breast Neoplasms/therapy , Exercise Therapy/methods , Patient Compliance , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Aromatase Inhibitors/therapeutic use , Exercise , Female , Humans , Middle AgedABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: In patients with coronary heart disease, both arterial stiffness and wave reflections are increased and predict unfavorable cardiovascular events. Cardiac rehabilitation has the goal to reduce risk factors and slow the progression of the disease. The aim of this study was to prospectively determine the impact of an ambulatory cardiac rehabilitation program on pulsatile hemodynamics. METHODS: Male patients after coronary interventions, bypass surgery, or acute coronary syndromes underwent exercise and resistance training. Before and after the program, pulsatile hemodynamics was measured. Exercise capacity was assessed with an incremental cycle ergometer protocol. A detailed two-dimensional and Doppler echocardiogram was obtained for systolic and diastolic left ventricular function. RESULTS: A total of 27 men participated in the study. After the intervention (n = 24), carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity decreased significantly from 8.7 (standard deviation (SD): 1.7) to 7.9 (SD: 1.9) m/s (p = 0.019), and augmentation index normalized for a heart rate of 75/min decreased significantly from 20.4 (SD: 8.7) to 17.5 (SD: 8.1; p = 0.017). CONCLUSION: The results suggest that a structured ambulatory rehabilitation program may improve pulsatile hemodynamics in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients.
