Improvement in cardiac and functional parameters, glycemic control and quality of life during 21 days of exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation

    Authors

    Keywords

    cardiac rehabilitation, functional capacity, diabetes type 2, glycemic control, exercise

    DOI

    https://doi.org/10.15836/ccar2025.290

    Full Text

    **Introduction**: Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is a cornerstone intervention for patients with cardiovascular and metabolic disease. Exercise-based CR programmes improve functional capacity, metabolic regulation, and psychosocial wellbeing, yet evidence from short-term interventions in patients with type 2 diabetes remains limited (1). **Methods:** Twelve patients with type 2 diabetes (age 65 ± 6 years, height 177 ± 12 cm, weight 89 ± 16 kg) participated in a 21-day pilot CR programme. Training included aerobic exercise, high-intensity interval training (HIIT), and resistance training, all individually tailored based on cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) to define optimal training zones. **Results:** VO2 at VT2 increased from approximately 13.5 ± 3.0 to 15.5 ± 2.0 mL/min/kg after 21 days (p 2max showed an even greater improvement, rising from about 16.0 ± 2.5 to 18.0 ± 2.0 mL/min/kg (p < 0.001; d = 1.93), representing a very large effect size. Glycemic control improved, with time in range (3.9–10.0 mmol/L) rising from 87 ± 10% to 93 ± 5% by Week 2 (p < 0.05; d = 0.87) and remaining stable in Week 3. Time below range (<3.0 mmol/L) decreased from 2.0% to <1.0% (p < 0.05) and was nearly eliminated by Week 3 (p < 0.01). Time above range (10.0–13.1 mmol/L) fell from 9.1% to 5.2% (p < 0.05). SF-36 scores showed notable improvements in emotional limitations, physical health limitations, social functioning and emotional wellbeing. Pain remained unchanged, while physical functioning. **Conclusion:** A 21-day comprehensive CR programme combining aerobic, HIIT, and resistance training improved aerobic capacity, glycemic stability, cardiac stress biomarkers, and several quality-of-life domains in patients with type 2 diabetes. These findings highlight the multidimensional benefits of short-term CR, warranting confirmation in larger trials.

    Literature

    1. Buckley JP, Riddell M, Mellor D, Bracken RM, Ross MK, LaGerche A, et al. Acute glycaemic management before, during and after exercise for cardiac rehabilitation participants with diabetes mellitus: a joint statement of the British and Canadian Associations of Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation, the International Council for Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation and the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences. Br J Sports Med. 2020 Dec 23:bjsports-2020-102446. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2020-102446.69
    Cardiologia Croatica
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    Improvement in cardiac and functional parameters, glycemic control and quality of life during 21 days of exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation

    Extended Abstract
    Issue11-12
    Published
    Pages290
    PDF via DOIhttps://doi.org/10.15836/ccar2025.290
    cardiac rehabilitation
    functional capacity
    diabetes type 2
    glycemic control
    exercise

    Authors

    Irena Kužet Mioković*ORCIDThalassotherapia Opatija, Opatija, Croatia
    Marica Komosar-CvetkovićORCIDThalassotherapia Opatija, Opatija, Croatia
    Kristina SkročeORCIDThalassotherapia Opatija, Opatija, Croatia
    Maja PištelekORCIDThalassotherapia Opatija, Opatija, Croatia
    Dijana Travica SamsaORCIDThalassotherapia Opatija, Opatija, Croatia
    Ana BrajdićORCIDThalassotherapia Opatija, Opatija, Croatia
    Viktor IvanišORCIDThalassotherapia Opatija, Opatija, Croatia
    Marina NjegovanORCIDThalassotherapia Opatija, Opatija, Croatia

    *Correspondence email: irena.kmiokovic@gmail.com

    Full Text

    Introduction: Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is a cornerstone intervention for patients with cardiovascular and metabolic disease. Exercise-based CR programmes improve functional capacity, metabolic regulation, and psychosocial wellbeing, yet evidence from short-term interventions in patients with type 2 diabetes remains limited (1).

    Methods: Twelve patients with type 2 diabetes (age 65 ± 6 years, height 177 ± 12 cm, weight 89 ± 16 kg) participated in a 21-day pilot CR programme. Training included aerobic exercise, high-intensity interval training (HIIT), and resistance training, all individually tailored based on cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) to define optimal training zones.

    Results: VO2 at VT2 increased from approximately 13.5 ± 3.0 to 15.5 ± 2.0 mL/min/kg after 21 days (p 2max showed an even greater improvement, rising from about 16.0 ± 2.5 to 18.0 ± 2.0 mL/min/kg (p < 0.001; d = 1.93), representing a very large effect size. Glycemic control improved, with time in range (3.9–10.0 mmol/L) rising from 87 ± 10% to 93 ± 5% by Week 2 (p < 0.05; d = 0.87) and remaining stable in Week 3. Time below range (<3.0 mmol/L) decreased from 2.0% to <1.0% (p < 0.05) and was nearly eliminated by Week 3 (p < 0.01). Time above range (10.0–13.1 mmol/L) fell from 9.1% to 5.2% (p < 0.05). SF-36 scores showed notable improvements in emotional limitations, physical health limitations, social functioning and emotional wellbeing. Pain remained unchanged, while physical functioning.

    Conclusion: A 21-day comprehensive CR programme combining aerobic, HIIT, and resistance training improved aerobic capacity, glycemic stability, cardiac stress biomarkers, and several quality-of-life domains in patients with type 2 diabetes. These findings highlight the multidimensional benefits of short-term CR, warranting confirmation in larger trials.

    Literature

    1. 1.
      Buckley JP, Riddell M, Mellor D, Bracken RM, Ross MK, LaGerche A, et al. Acute glycaemic management before, during and after exercise for cardiac rehabilitation participants with diabetes mellitus: a joint statement of the British and Canadian Associations of Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation, the International Council for Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation and the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences. Br J Sports Med. 2020 Dec 23:bjsports-2020-102446.DOI