THE COURSE OF IMPROVEMENT IN FUNCTIONAL CAPACITY DURING CARDIAC REHABILITATION FOLLWING CARDIAC TRANSPLANTATION

Abstract

Cardiac transplantation (CT) improves survival and functional capacity. The time course of improvement in functional capacity in severely debilitated patients following Cr is not known. This study was undertaken to define the time course of return to Functional Class I in a series of 6 patients who underwent CT for and-stage heart failure (3 ischemic and 3 idiopathic) and then entered a Cardiac Rehabilitation Program (CRP). Their mean age was 37 years (range 14 to 56). Four patients were Functional Class IV and 2 were Class III prior to surgery. Symptom limited exercise stress tests were performed at the time of discharge from the hospital (mean 5.5 weeks, range=2 - 13 weeks) and then aerially at about 7-week intervals during a stable clinical state without evidence of acute rejection or infection. Post-operative (implications did occur, including 11 episodes of rejection and 5 infections requiring treatment. All patients underwent a modified Phase I and II CRP. The results of the GXTs were: In spite of their severe pre-op disability and serious post-op complications, all patients reached Functional Class I within 17 weeks of discharge (X = 7.6 weeks). All patients were successful in returning to their pre-morbid status as well (ie. work, school etc.). These findings, in this diverse group of unselected patients, indicate that CT followed by CRP can return patients to active productive lifestyles in a reasonable period of time