Efficacy of external counterpulsation enhanced with outpatient cardiac rehabilitation
Sammanfattning
Enhanced external counterpulsation (EECP®) is useful in reducing angina pectoris and
increasing functional capacity in patients with coronary artery disease. We sought to determine
whether undergoing EECP with outpatient cardiac rehabilitation (OP-CR) would potentiate functional
capacity and ventilatory threshold and decrease depression. A retrospective analysis was conducted
on all (n = 91) patients undergoing EECP from 2001 to 2012. Those who underwent EECP only (n = 56)
were compared with those who underwent EECP with OP-CR (n = 35). Patients underwent
cardiopulmonary testing and completed the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ9) before starting and
on completion of EECP. A general linear mixed model was used to compare the impact of adding
OP-CR to EECP. Mean values, standard deviations and standard errors of the mean were calculated
for each subgroup. Both groups significantly decreased PHQ9 and increased aerobic exercise
performance and ventilatory threshold, but the EECP with OP-CR group increased ventilatory
threshold (by 60.5%) and decreased PHQ9 (by 51%) significantly more than the EECP-only group. This
study indicates that participation in EECP is beneficial, with benefits increased when patients
undergo simultaneous OP-CR.