Sitting patterns in cardiovascular disease patients compared with healthy controls and impact of cardiac rehabilitation

PURPOSE: To identify how and when to intervene in cardiovascular disease (CVD) patients' sedentary behavior, we moved beyond studying total volume of sitting and examined sitting patterns. By analyzing the timing of stand‐to‐sit and sit‐to‐stand transitions, we compared sitting patterns (a) between CVD patients and healthy controls, and (b) before and after cardiac rehabilitation (CR). METHODS: One hundered twenty nine CVD patients and 117 age‐matched healthy controls continuously wore a tri‐axial thigh‐worn accelerometer for 8 days (>120 000 posture transitions). CVD patients additionally wore the accelerometer directly and 2 months after CR. RESULTS: With later time of the day, both CVD patients and healthy controls sat down sooner (i.e., shorter standing episode before sitting down; HR = 1.01, 95% CI [1.011, 1.015]) and remained seated longer (HR = 0.97, CI [0.966, 0.970]). After more previous physical activity, both groups sat down later (HR = 0.97, CI [0.959, 0.977]), and patients remained seated longer (HR = 0.96; CI [0.950, 0.974]). Immediately and 2‐months following CR, patients sat down later (HR(post‐CR) = 0.96, CI [0.945, 0.974]; HR(follow‐up) = 0.96, CI [0.948, 0.977]) and stood up sooner (HR(post‐CR) = 1.04, CI [1.020, 1.051]; HR(follow‐up) = 1.03, CI [1.018, 1.050]). These effects were less pronounced with older age, higher BMI, lower sedentary behavior levels, and/or higher physical activity levels at baseline. CONCLUSION: Cardiac rehabilitation programs could be optimized by targeting CVD patients' sit‐to‐stand transitions, by focusing on high‐risk moments for prolonged sitting (i.e., in evenings and after higher‐than‐usual physical activity) and attending to the needs of specific patient subgroups.