The Impact of Hospital-Based Cardiac Rehabilitation on Signal Average ECG Parameters of the Heart After Myocardial Infarction

BACKGROUND: Cardiac rehabilitation is a combination of integrated programs aimed at improving outcomes in patients recovering from heart events. OBJECTIVES: The present study aimed to evaluate the early benefits of supervised exercise training on electrophysiological function of post-ischemic myocardium. In this regard, signal-averaged electrocardiogram (SAECG) was used. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between May and September 2012, all patients (n = 100) admitted to our center, with the diagnosis of acute Myocardial Infarction (MI), were enrolled in this study. Every other patient was assigned to two groups receiving either inpatient cardiac rehabilitation plus standard post-MI care (cases) or only standard post-MI care (controls). Electrophysiological function was assessed by SAECG in all the patients at baseline and on the day 5. The patients were considered as having late potential if they had abnormalities in at least two SAECG indices. RESULTS: Cardiac rehabilitation led to significant improvements in QRS duration (P < 0.001), square root of amplitude in the last 40 ms (P < 0.001) and duration of terminal signal with low amplitude (P < 0.001). Cardiac rehabilitation also resulted in amelioration of SAECG parameters; frequency of patients with late potential significantly decreased from 64% to 20% after five days (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Supervised in-hospital exercise training was associated with improvements in SAECG-measured electrical activity post-MI.