Role of Cardiac Rehabilitation after Heart Transplantation in the Reduction of Cardiac Allograft Vasculopathy, The
Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute, Los Angeles, CA
Meeting: 2013 American Transplant Congress
Abstract number: C1429
BACKGROUND: Cardiac rehabilitation after heart transplantation has been documented to be beneficial for increased physical activity via a randomized trial using cardiopulmonary stress testing. It is not clear as to whether cardiac rehabilitation in the first year after transplant leads to better long-term outcome.
METHOD: We surveyed 164 heart transplant patients transplanted between 1991 and 2011, who underwent formal cardiac rehabilitation in the first year post-transplantation and compared them to 233 patients who did not undergo cardiac rehabilitation. End points include 5-year freedom from cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV). and non-fatal major adverse cardiac events (NF-MACE, defined as myocardial infarction, heart failure, need for percutaneous cardiac intervention, stroke).
RESULTS: Patients who underwent cardiac rehabilitation compared to those that did not had significantly greater 5-year freedom from CAV (85% vs 76%, p=0.024). There was no difference in baseline risk factors (except the rehab group being older) and 1-year freedom from treated rejection between groups.
| Outcomes | No Cardiac Rehab (N=233) | Cardiac Rehab (N=164) | p-value |
| 5-Year Freedom from CAV | 76% | 85% | 0.024 |
| 5-Year Freedom from NF-MACE | 87% | 89% | 0.526 |
| 1-Year Freedom from Any-Treated Rejection | 87% | 85% | 0.644 |
| BMI at Baseline, Mean ± SD | 25.0 ± 4.3 | 25.4 ± 4.7 | 0.381 |
| Diabetes at Baseline, n (%) | 57 (24%) | 44 (27%) | 0.595 |
| Recipient Age, Mean Years ± SD | 54 ± 12 | 58 ± 11 | 0.001 |
| Donor Age, Mean Years ± SD | 31 ± 12 | 33 ± 13 | 0.115 |
CONCLUSION: Cardiac rehabilitation is associated with less development of CAV at 5-years. Further study into the mechanisms of this finding is to be pursued.
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
Kittleson M, Patel J, Rafiei M, Osborne A, Chang D, Czer L, Kobashigawa J. Role of Cardiac Rehabilitation after Heart Transplantation in the Reduction of Cardiac Allograft Vasculopathy, The [abstract]. Am J Transplant. 2013; 13 (suppl 5). https://atcmeetingabstracts.com/abstract/role-of-cardiac-rehabilitation-after-heart-transplantation-in-the-reduction-of-cardiac-allograft-vasculopathy-the/. Accessed July 18, 2025.« Back to 2013 American Transplant Congress