Outpatient Rehabilitation in Patients With Coronary Artery and Peripheral Arterial Occlusive Disease

Abstract Jeger RV, Rickenbacher P, Pfisterer ME, Hoffmann A. Outpatient rehabilitation in patients with coronary artery and peripheral arterial occlusive disease. Objective To assess participation rates and outcome in outpatient cardiac rehabilitation (OCR) of patients with peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD). Design Prospective cohort study. Setting Referral center, ambulatory care. Participants All patients undergoing OCR at 2 university hospitals in Switzerland from March 1999 to August 2005. Intervention OCR during 3 months. Main Outcome Measures Primary endpoints were workload during bicycle stress test and quality of life (QOL), both at the end of OCR. Secondary endpoints were complications during OCR and termination of OCR. Results Of 1508 patients, 99 (7%) had PAOD (27 with Fontaine stage I, 69 with stage II, 3 with stage III). Patients with PAOD were older, had more cardiovascular risk factors, and were more likely to have undergone cardiac bypass grafting than those without PAOD. PAOD patients at OCR entry achieved a lower exercise workload than non-PAOD patients (PAOD patients, 105±31W and 69%±17% of target vs non-PAOD patients, 125±38W and 79%±19%; P