Panagopoulou N, Karatzanos E, Dimopoulos S, Tasoulis A, Tachliabouris
I, Vakrou S, Sideris A, Gratziou C, Nanas S

Eur J Prev Cardiol. 2017 May;24(8):825-832.
Epub 2017 Jan 1.

Comment in
Eur J Prev Cardiol. 2017 Aug;24(12 ):1283-1284.
Eur J Prev Cardiol. 2017 Aug;24(12 ):1285-1286.

Background Exercise oscillatory ventilation in chronic heart failure has been
suggested as a factor related to adverse cardiac events, aggravated prognosis and
higher mortality. Exercise training is well known to affect exercise capacity and
mechanisms of pathophysiology beneficially in chronic heart failure. Little is
known, however, about the exercise training effects on characteristics of
exercise oscillatory ventilation in chronic heart failure patients. Design and
methods Twenty (out of 38) stable chronic heart failure patients exhibited
exercise oscillatory ventilation (age 54 ± 11 years, peak oxygen uptake
15.0 ± 5.0 ml/kg per minute). Patients attended 36 sessions of high intensity
interval exercise. All patients underwent cardiopulmonary exercise testing before
and after the programme. Assessment of exercise oscillatory ventilation was based
on the amplitude of cyclic fluctuations in breathing during rest and exercise.
All values are mean ± SD. Results Exercise training reduced ( P < 0.05) the
percentage of exercise oscillatory ventilation duration (79.0 ± 13.0 to
50.0 ± 25.0%), while average amplitude (5.2 ± 2.0 to 4.9 ± 1.6 L/minute) and
length (44.0 ± 10.9 to 41.0 ± 6.7 seconds) did not change ( P > 0.05). Exercise
oscillatory ventilation patients also increased exercise capacity ( P < 0.05).
Conclusions A rehabilitation programme based on high intensity interval training
improved exercise oscillatory ventilation observed in chronic heart failure
patients, as well as cardiopulmonary efficiency and functional capacity.