543-P: Interruptions in Cardiac Rehabilitation Sessions Are Disproportionately Higher in Patients with Diabetes

Abstract

Background: The clinical benefits of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) are attendance related; hence, interruptions or cancellations (I/C) of CR sessions limit clinical effectiveness. However, data on the frequency of I/C in CR is sparse. In this study, we aim to characterize the prevalence and clinical factors associated with I/C events among CR participants. Methods: We retrospectively review 251 patients enrolled at our center from 8/2018-9/2021. I/C was defined as at least one event that led to pausing or stopping the exercise session due to a safety or medical concern such as blood pressure, arrhythmia, and/or glycemic control. P-values were determined by t-test, chi-squared, and multivariate logistic regression. Results: Fifty percent (125) of patients had at least one I/C event during their participation in CR. A history of diabetes mellitus (DM) , coronary artery disease, or hyperlipidemia were significantly associated with I/C (Table 1) . Furthermore, logistical regression revealed that having DM had the strongest independent correlation with I/C events [hazard ratio, 2.66; 95% confidence interval, 1.57-4.52; p<0.0001]. Conclusion: Half of CR patients experienced I/C during their participation. DM was identified as the main risk factor of events. Further studies are needed to understand the root cause and to design preventive measures to maximize the potential of CR participation. Disclosure A.A.Khong: None. J.E.Lopez: None. M.Junker: None. S.Giancaterino: None. R.Labiak: None. N.Liu: None. E.Cortez-toledo: None. A.G.Fausto: None. C.Chen: None. D.H.Slack: None.