Leisure physical activity and quality of life after coronary artery bypass graft surgery for patients with metabolic syndrome in Taiwan

Association between physical inactivity and health-related quality of life in adults with coronary heart disease

BACKGROUND

Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) provides an accurate measure of the health status of patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). However, few studies have examined the relationship between physical inactivity and HRQoL in CHD survivors. We evaluated this association in a cross-sectional study of 21,936 CHD participants in the 2015 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.

METHODS

CHD diagnosis, HRQoL and physical activity were self-reported. Physical activity (PA) was categorized (1) based on intensity, into no PA, light to moderate PA and vigorous PA; and (2) based on duration and frequency, into no PA, insufficiently active and active. HRQoL was assessed by the CDC HRQoL questionnaire. Participants with 14+ physical or mental unhealthy days in a 30-day window were grouped into poor physical or mental HRQoL. We estimated the odd ratios (AOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of poor HRQoL associated with PA after adjusting for age, sex, education, income level, social support, smoking status, ethnicity/race, BMI, chronic conditions, and CHD groups.

RESULTS

Compared with vigorous PA, adults with no PA had higher odds (95% CI) of poor physical HRQoL [1.82 (1.58, 2.10)] and poor mental HRQoL [1.28 (1.05, 1.55)]. When compared with active adults, AOR (95% CI) for adults with no PA were 1.80 (1.55, 2.01) and 1.17 (0.97, 1.42) for poor physical and mental HRQoL, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

We found an association between physical inactivity and poor physical and mental HRQoL among CHD survivors. There is a need for longitudinal studies to determine the temporality of this association.

Effects of a preoperative individualized exercise program on selected recovery variables for cardiac surgery patients: A pilot study

OBJECTIVE

Research on preoperative individualized exercise prescription (PIEP) for heart surgery patients in Taiwan is lacking. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine the feasibility of a PIEP in the Taiwanese population.

METHOD

A quasi-experimental design, using purposive sampling, was conducted. Thirty-five patients were recruited, of whom 15 chose to participate in the experimental (PIEP training plus usual care) group, and 20 chose to participate in the control (usual care) group. The effects of the intervention were determined by pulmonary complication-related parameters and quality of life.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION

The development and process of PIEPs suitable for cardiac patients was described in this study. The results reveal that the two-week exercise-training program contributed to a decreased peak respiratory exchange ratio (RER) after the surgery and earlier ambulation. The effectiveness of PIEPs in improving the quality of life in cardiac surgery patients was validated. This study may also contribute as a reference of the PIEP effect on patients to the healthcare providers.