Abstract 12677: Intensive Cardiac Rehabilitation Outcomes in Patients With Heart Transplant

Abstract

INTRODUCTION Heart Transplant (HT) is gold standard for patients with Heart failure (HF) with end stage disease, however it requires ideal post-surgical recovery which includes medications & Cardiac Rehabilitation (CR). Clinical trials have shown that CR can reduce morbidity & mortality, increase exercise tolerance and reduce psychological symptoms in patients with HT. Intensive Cardiac rehabilitation (ICR) has proven benefits for patients with HF but the outcomes of ICR in patients with HT are unknown. Methods: Retrospective cohort study of 1413 patients from Jan-2016 to Dec-2020. ICR sessions consists of 4-hours two times per week for 9-weeks of lifestyle modification aiming at high fiber low fat diet, peer support, exercise and stress reduction.Patients were divided into two groups: 18 patients in HT group and 1395 patients in HF group. Primary endpoints were change in body mass index (BMI), exercise minutes per week (EMW) and depression scores (CESD). Secondary endpoints includes change in blood pressure (BP), cholesterol (chol), low density lipoprotein (ldl), high density lipoprotein (hdl), triglycerides (tgl) and health status (SF-36 physical & mental composite scores). T test was used to compare variables between two groups. Linear regression was used to adjust for difference in baseline variables. Results: Table 1 explains baseline characteristics and demographics of both groups. Table 2 shows outcomes of both groups pre and post-ICR. Conclusions: Significant Improvement in ICR outcomes were achieved for both groups. There is no difference among groups when improvements were compared with each other except for chol which has improved more in patients with HF.