Affiliations: [a] Laboratoire de Physiologie, Groupe PPEH, Service
d'Exploration Fonctionnelle CardioRespiratoire, CHU Nord, Faculté de
Médecine Jacques Lisfranc, Université Jean Monnet, Saint-Etienne,
France | [b] Service de Médecine Physique et
Rééducation, Groupe PPEH, CHU Bellevue, Faculté de
Médecine Jacques Lisfranc, Université Jean Monnet, Saint-Etienne,
France | [c] Service de Cardiologie, CHU Nord, Faculté de
Médecine Jacques Lisfranc, Université Jean Monnet, Saint-Etienne,
France
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Francis Degache, MSc, CHU Nord,
Niveau 6, EFCR, F - 42055 Saint-Etienne Cedex 2, France. Tel.: +33 4 77 82 83
00; Fax: +33 4 77 82 84 47; E-mail: francisdegache@hotmail.com
Abstract: Background: In patients with CHF, physical reconditioning improves
exercise tolerance and endurance capacity. However, there is no evidence that
endurance training programs affect skeletal muscle strength in such
patients. Design: The present study investigates the effects of endurance
training on isokinetic skeletal muscle strength and on aerobic capacity in
chronic heart failure (CHF) patients. Methods: Eleven stable CHF patients (8 men, mean aged 54.3 yr and
women, mean aged 49.3 yr) participated in a classical controlled inhospital
8-week endurance training program. Progressive incremental exercise tests with
gas exchange analysis and isokinetic strength measurements of knee flexors and
extensors were conducted in all subjects before and after training at different
angular velocities (60, 180, 240°/s ). Results: After training, peak � O_2 improved
significantly (from 16.3 ± 3.3 to 20.7 ± 4.0 ml/kg/min; p <
0.002) as did New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class (2.2 ±
0.4 to 1.5 ± 0.5; p < 0.001). Conversely, isokinetic strength at all
angular velocities studied was unchanged after the training program. Conclusion: Isokinetic muscle strength was not improved in CHF
patients participating in a endurance training program. A combined endurance
and resistance protocol might be helpful for these patients whose frequently
altered muscle strength undoubtedly contributes to their poor quality of life
for everyday activities.
