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Improved exercise tolerance and quality of life with cardiac rehabilitation of older patients after myocardial infarction: results of a randomized, controlled trial
Marchionni N, Fattirolli F, Fumagalli S, Oldridge N, Del Lungo F, Morosi L, Burgisser C, Masotti G.. Circulation, 2003-04-21
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Background Whether cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is effective in patients older than 75 years, who have been excluded from most trials, remains unclear. We enrolled patients 46 to 86 years old in a randomized trial and assessed the effects of 2 months of post-myocardial infarction (MI) CR on total work capacity (TWC, in kilograms per meter) and health-related quality of life (HRQL). Methods and results Of 773 screened patients, 270 without cardiac failure, dementia, disability, or contraindications to exercise were randomized to outpatient, hospital-based CR (Hosp-CR), home-based CR (Home-CR), or no CR within 3 predefined age groups (middle-aged, 45 to 65 years; old, 66 to 75 years; and very old, >75 years) of 90 patients each. TWC and HRQL were determined with cycle ergometry and Sickness Impact Profile at baseline, after CR, and 6 and 12 months later. Within each age group, TWC improved with Hosp-CR and Home-CR and was unchanged with no CR. The improvement was similar in middle-aged and old persons but smaller, although still significant, in very old patients. TWC reverted toward baseline by 12 months with Hosp-CR but not with Home-CR. HRQL improved in middle-aged and old CR and control patients but only with CR in very old patients. Complications were similar across treatment and age groups. Costs were lower for Home-CR than for Hosp-CR. Conclusions Post-MI Hosp-CR and Home-CR are similarly effective in the short term and improve TWC and HRQL in each age group. However, with lower costs and more prolonged positive effects, Home-CR may be the treatment of choice in low-risk older patients.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Marchionni, N., Fattirolli, F., Fumagalli, S., Oldridge, N., Del Lungo, F., Morosi, L., et al. (2003). Improved exercise tolerance and quality of life with cardiac rehabilitation of older patients after myocardial infarction: results of a randomized, controlled trial. Circulation. https://doi.org/10.1161/01.cir.0000066322.21016.4a
Vancouver
Marchionni N, Fattirolli F, Fumagalli S, Oldridge N, Del Lungo F, Morosi L, et al. Improved exercise tolerance and quality of life with cardiac rehabilitation of older patients after myocardial infarction: results of a randomized, controlled trial. Circulation. 2003. doi:10.1161/01.cir.0000066322.21016.4a. PMID: 12707240.
BibTeX
@article{marchionni2003-12707240,
author = {Marchionni, N. and Fattirolli, F. and Fumagalli, S. and Oldridge, N. and Del Lungo, F. and Morosi, L. and Burgisser, C. and Masotti, G.},
title = {{Improved exercise tolerance and quality of life with cardiac rehabilitation of older patients after myocardial infarction: results of a randomized, controlled trial}},
journal = {Circulation},
year = {2003},
doi = {10.1161/01.cir.0000066322.21016.4a},
pmid = {12707240},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1161/01.cir.0000066322.21016.4a}
}
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record names 8 authors; APA and Vancouver show the first six, BibTeX and the downloads carry all of them. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- Methods and results Of 773 screened patients, 270 without cardiac failure, dementia, disability, or contraindications to exercise were randomized to outpatient, hospital-based CR (Hosp-CR), home-based CR (Home-CR), or no CR within 3 predefined age groups (middle-aged, 45 to 65 years; old, 66 to 75 years; and very old, >75 years) of 90 patients each.
- The improvement was similar in middle-aged and old persons but smaller, although still significant, in very old patients.
Why it matters
This trial tested cardiac rehabilitation after heart attack in older patients, including some over 75, and found improved exercise tolerance and quality of life. People with dementia were excluded, so it does not address Alzheimer's treatment or prevention.
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Study details
- Study designrandomized controlled trial
- Participants90
- Evidence strengthHigh
How this study scored 65/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a randomized controlled trial. Scored zero for effect reported because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Circulation) |
| Journal's citation record | 4 / 4 | Circulation: journal h-index 848 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 11 / 12 | A randomized controlled trial |
| Strength of evidence | 5 / 5 | Rated “high” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2003 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| Sample size | 1 / 4 | 90 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomized / blinded | 1 / 2 | Randomized (as stated in the record) |
| Times cited | 6 / 7 | Cited 319 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 12.8 citations a year over 25 year(s) since 2003 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 9.8× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 23 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Giulio Masotti: h-index 42 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee: institution h-index 876 (OpenAlex) |
| Multicenter collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 8 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 12707240) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 65 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1161/01.cir.0000066322.21016.4a
- PubMed: 12707240
- Original source →
- Free full text: Circulation →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
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