PURPOSE: In moderately impaired, stable chronic heart failure (CHF) patients, exercise training (ET) enhances exercise capacity. In contrast, the therapeutic benefits of regular ET in patients with advanced CHF, especially in the long-term, are limited or conflicting. Therefore, the aim of the present investigation was to elucidate whether ET performed over 12 months would improve left ventricular performance and exercise capacity in patients with advanced CHF. METHODS: Thirty-seven patients with CHF and New York Heart Association (NYHA) class IIIb were randomized to a sedentary lifestyle or daily ET on a cycle ergometer (in-hospital and home-based at 50% to 60% of maximal exercise capacity). Cardiopulmonary exercise testing and echocardiography were performed at baseline, 3, 6, and 12 months. RESULTS: Exercise training resulted in continuous decreases in left ventricular end-diastolic diameter at 3, 6, and 12 months versus baseline (all p < 0.05). This was accompanied by a significant increase in resting left ventricular ejection fraction from 24.1% +/- 1.2% at baseline to 38.4% +/- 2.0% at 12-month followup (p < 0.05). Moreover, ET patients increased exercise capacity measured by maximal oxygen uptake. VO2max at 3, 6, and 12 months compared with baseline: 15.3 +/- 0.8 mL/min/kg, 17.8 +/- 0.8 mL/min/kg, 19.0 +/- 0.7 mL/min/kg, and 19.5 +/- 0.9 mL/min/kg, respectively (all p < 0.05 versus baseline). This was associated with a reduced NYHA classification. CONCLUSIONS: Exercise training over 12 months resulted in an improvement in exercise capacity and reversing of left ventricular remodeling in patients with advanced CHF (NYHA IIIb). These beneficial adaptations continued to improve up to 6 months and remained stable thereafter.
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