AIM: Peak oxygen uptake (peakVO2) is one of the strongest predictors of survival in patients with valvular heart disease. The purpose of this study was to determine whether endurance training improves peakVO2 and endurance capacity in patients with moderate-severe aortic and mitral valve disease. METHODS: 30 patients with moderate-severe valvular heart disease were randomly assigned to 12 weeks of endurance training (TG) (n = 16) or standard care (SC) (n = 14). PeakVO2 and maximum working capacity (Wattmax) were assessed by cardiopulmonary exercise testing, as well as submaximal endurance test at 80% of peakVO2 at baseline and after 12 weeks. RESULTS: There was a significant improvement in peakVO2 from 27.2 +/- 5.9 ml/kg to 30.4 +/- 6.3 ml/kg (p < 0.001) in TG compared to the SC (peakVO2 from 24.6 +/- 4.4 to 24.7 +/- 3.8) and in the Wattmax from 151.8 +/- 41.0 Watt to 171.2 +/- 49.7 Watt in the TG compared to the SC (152.9 +/- 35.6 Watt to 149.2 +/- 28.4 Watt). The endurance capacity increased significantly from 17.0 +/- 9.4 min to 32.8 +/- 16.8 min (p = 0.003) in the TG compared to the SC (11.7 +/- 6.2 min to 11.2 +/- 7.6 min). The heart rate during the endurance test decreased in the TG from 154 +/- 14 b/min to 142 +/- 20 b/min for the same workload. No changes could be seen in the SC. CONCLUSIONS: Endurance training in patients with moderate to severe valvular heart disease increased significantly the peakVO2 as well as the endurance capacity.

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