Effects of exercise training after open heart surgery on quality of life and exercise tolerance in patients with mitral regurgitation or aortic regurgitation.

We conducted a questionnaire survey regarding quality of life (QOL) to evaluate the effects of exercise training on the QOL in patients with valvular heart disease after surgery. This study included 64 consecutive patients who underwent heart surgery. They were divided into two groups: exercise training could (EX(+) group, n = 31) and could not be performed (EX(-) group, n = 33) until 6 months after surgery. To evaluate the QOL and exercise tolerance, we employed "a questionnaire regarding disease and quality of life" developed for Japanese people and cardiopulmonary exercise testing. In our questionnaire survey, the improvement rating (Delta subjective/social index), which was calculated from the difference between the pre-and postoperative values, was greater in the EX(+) group than that in the EX(-) group (4.9 +/- 3.1 versus 1.1 +/- 4.0, P < 0.05). In the changes in exercise tolerance, Delta anaerobic threshold was greater in the EX(+) group (0.79 +/- 0.17 versus -0.02 +/- 0.28, P < 0.01). Moreover, there was a positive correlation between Delta subjective/social index and Delta peak VO(2) (r = 0.62, P < 0.05). We concluded that exercise training for patients after cardiac surgery improves the QOL and exercise tolerance. It is suggested that changes in subjective and social parameters contribute to an exercise training-related improvement in the QOL.