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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.