Hiroe Sugimoto^1,, Shinichi Demura², Yoshinori Nagasawa³

Effective exercise therapy in rehabilitation during maintenance period is important for the extension of life expectancy in the elderly patients with cardiac diseases. The effects of different participation frequencies in rehabilitation classes on physical functions in this cohort and their sex-related differences have been little examined. This study aimed to examine the effects of different participation frequency in rehabilitation classes on physical function, and sex-related differences. Participants were 167 elderly individuals with cardiac diseases during maintenance period (males, n = 78; mean age, 76.5 years; SD = 6.0 years; females, n = 89; mean age, 75.5 years; SD = 4.5 years) who registered for a 1-year twice a week exercise therapy program. They performed eight physical functioning tests 1 year later. Participants were classified into a low participation group that demonstrated <40% adherence (male, 17; female, 17) and a high participation group that demonstrated ≥70% adherence (male, 29; female, 46) based on participation rates in the exercise therapy program for 1 year. A significant interaction was found for one-legged balance with eyes open; this effect was stronger in the high participation group than in the low participation group in males, and higher in females than in males in the low participation group. Sit-ups and 6-min walking were superior in the high participation group compared with the low participation group. Males were superior in grip strength and sit-up. Females were superior in sitting trunk flexion. In conclusion, elderly patients with high participation frequency in rehabilitation classes were superior in muscle endurance and total endurance compared with those with low participation frequency. Males were superior in muscle strength and muscle endurance; females were superior in flexibility.

cardiac diseases, during maintenance period, participation frequency, physical function