Is strength training the more efficient training modality in chronic heart failure?

Patrick Feiereisen*, Charles Delagardelle, Michel Vaillant, Yves Lasar, Jean Beissel

*Corresponding author for this work

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticleResearchpeer-review

    68 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    PURPOSE: An open, randomized, controlled study was designed to study the effects of exclusive strength training (ST) in patients with severe chronic heart failure (CHF) in comparison with conventional endurance (ET) and combined ET-ST training (CT). The hypothesis was that ST would at least be equal to ET or CT, because peripheral muscle atrophy and weakness play a key role in exercise limitation in CHF patients. METHODS: Three groups of 15 patients underwent ST, ET, or CT during 40 sessions, three times a week, for 45 min. Fifteen patients served as control group. Before and after intervention, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), peak oxygen consumption (V̇O2peak), peak workload, thigh muscle volume, knee extensor strength, endurance, and quality of life (QoL) were assessed. RESULTS: All measured parameters improved significantly in the three training groups, except for knee extensor strength in ET. Training outcome was superior in all three training groups compared with the control group, but statistical significance was only reached for V̇O2peak and peak workload, thigh muscle volume, and knee extensor endurance. In contrast, knee extensor strength, LVEF, and QoL did not reach statistical significance. None of the training modalities proved to be superior to any other, although small differences between the three groups were observed. CONCLUSION: Independently of the training modality, intensive exercise training is efficient in increasing cardiac function, exercise capacity, peripheral muscle function, and QoL in CHF patients.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)1910-1917
    Number of pages8
    JournalMedicine and Science in Sports and Exercise
    Volume39
    Issue number11
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - Nov 2007

    Keywords

    • Left ventricular ejection fraction
    • Muscle strength
    • Muscle volume
    • Quality of life
    • Randomized controlled study
    • V̇ O

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