Study protocol for the FITR Heart Study: Feasibility, safety, adherence, and efficacy of high intensity interval training in a hospital-initiated rehabilitation program for coronary heart disease

BACKGROUND: For decades, moderate intensity continuous training (MICT) has been the cornerstone of exercise prescription for cardiac rehabilitation (CR). High intensity interval training (HIIT) is now recognized in CR exercise guidelines as an appropriate and efficient modality for improving cardiorespiratory fitness, a strong predictor of mortality. However, the clinical application of HIIT in a real world CR setting, in terms of feasibility, safety, and long-term adherence, needs further investigation to address ongoing reservations. Furthermore, studies using objective measures of exercise intensity (such as heart rate; HR) have produced variable outcomes. Therefore we propose investigating the use of subjective measures (such as rating of perceived exertion (RPE)) for prescribing exercise intensity. METHODS: One hundred adults with coronary artery disease (CAD) attending a hospital-initiated CR program will be randomized to 1) HIIT: 4 × 4 min high intensity intervals at 15–18 RPE interspersed with 3-min active recovery periods or 2) MICT: usual care exercise including 40 min continuous exercise at a moderate intensity corresponding to 11–13 RPE. Primary outcome is change in exercise capacity (peak VO(2)) following 4 weeks of exercise training. Secondary outcome measures are: feasibility, safety, exercise adherence, body composition, vascular function, inflammatory markers, intrahepatic lipid, energy intake, and dietary behavior over 12-months; and visceral adipose tissue (VAT) following 12 weeks of exercise training. CONCLUSIONS: This study aims to address the ongoing concerns regarding the practicality and safety of HIIT in CR programs. We anticipate study findings will lead to the development of a standardized protocol to facilitate CR programs to incorporate HIIT as a standard exercise option for appropriate patients.