Effects of Lower Limb Cycle Training on Echocardiographic Parameters of Left Ventricle in Dilated Cardiomyopathy Patients.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of lower limb ergometric training on echocardiographic parameters of left ventricle in dilated cardiomyopathy (DMC) patients.

STUDY DESIGN: Randomized control trial.

PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY: Rawalpindi Institute of Cardiology, Rawalpindi, Pakistan, from September 2016 to February 2017.

METHODOLOGY: Clinically stable patients with DCM (n=60), were randomly allocated into an interventional group with two-month interventional program and a non-trained control group (n=30 each). Treatment protocol for interventional group was lower limb ergometer exercise for 8 weeks, 4 days/week. Pre and post-treatment echocardiography was done in both groups at baseline and after 8 weeks. SPSS 21 was used for data analysis.

RESULTS: The median (IQR) age of the patients was 51 (18) years in interventional group and 62 (11) years in control group. Male to female ratio was 18:9 in control group and 17:12 in Interventional group. Statistically significant results were detected within the groups regarding ejection fraction (EF), left ventricular internal dimension systole (LVIDS) and left ventricular internal diastolic dimension (LVIDD) (p <0.001).

CONCLUSION: Exercise training with lower limb ergometer was effective in improving the ejection fraction and left ventricular dimensions in patients with dilated cardiomyopathies.