Abstract 13877: Robotic Exercise Rehabilitation of Older Adults With Cardiovascular Disease Appears Safe and Effective

Abstract

Introduction: Recent research has focused on the effects of physical exercise in improving the functional capacity of frail older adults. Training with a balance exercise assist robot (BEAR) system is effective for improving posture. We compared the clinical safety and efficacy of postural strategy training using a BEAR system with those of conventional resistance training or no training in older patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD). Methods: Elderly patients (n = 130; mean age, 77.5 years) admitted to our hospital for worsening CVD were randomly allocated to two cardiac rehabilitation (CR) groups: conventional resistance training (group R, n=65) and use of the BEAR (group B, n=65). After appropriate medical therapy, patients underwent cardiopulmonary exercise testing, including assessment of comfortable walking speed, timed up-and-go (TUG), and a short physical performance battery (SPPB), just before discharge and after a weekly for 4 months of CR. We followed up the patients for fall-related fractures and cardiac events, which were defined as hospitalization for worsening CVD or cardiac death, and then compared with non-CR group (group N, n=165). Patients were followed for a mean of 2.1 years. Results: BEAR use had no adverse effects in any patient. Comfortable walking speed, TUG, and SPPB had improved significantly in both groups at 4 months compared with baseline but did not differ significantly between groups. No fall related fractures occurred in group B and 2 in group R, there was no significant difference between the two exercise groups. On the other hand, although there was no significant difference in event-free survival rates between the two exercise groups, event-free survival was significantly greater in these groups than in group N ( P ˂ 0.001). Conclusions: Exercise training by using a BEAR system is safe and effective for older adults with CVD. We demonstrated here that BEAR use is comparable to conventional resistance training for improving exercise capacity and balance in elderly patients with CVD. Both exercise groups were better prognosis compared with non-exercise.