Comparison of the Effects of Cardiac Rehabilitation Between Obese and Non-obese Patients After Acute Myocardial Infarction

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) on functional capacity in obese and non-obese patients who have suffered acute myocardial infarction (AMI). METHODS: Overall, 359 patients who have suffered AMI, and were referred for CR after percutaneous coronary intervention from 2010 to 2015 and underwent an exercise tolerance test before and after phase II CR were included in this study. The patients were divided into two groups: obese group with body mass index (BMI) ≥25 kg/m(2) (n=170; age, 54.32±9.98 years; BMI, 27.52±2.92 kg/m(2)) and non-obese group with BMI <25 kg/m(2) (n=189; age, 59.12±11.50 years; BMI 22.86±2.01 kg/m(2)). The demographic characteristics and cardiopulmonary exercise capacity of all patients were analyzed before and after CR. RESULTS: There were significant changes in resting heart rate (HR(rest)) before and after CR between the obese and non-obese groups (before CR, p=0.028; after CR, p=0.046), but other cardiopulmonary exercise capacity before and after CR was not different between the groups. HR(rest) (p<0.001), maximal metabolic equivalents (METs, p<0.001), total exercise duration (TED, p<0.001), and maximal oxygen consumption (VO(2max), p<0.001) improved significantly in the obese and non-obese groups after CR. No difference in the change in the cardiopulmonary exercise capacity rate was detected between the groups. CONCLUSION: CR may improve functional capacity in patients who suffered AMI regardless of their obesity.