Outcome of Cardiac Rehabilitation Program on Plasma Adiponectin Levels and Lipid Profile in Patients with Coronary Heart Disease

Cardiac rehabilitation program (CRP) is a non-pharmacological treatment in patient with coronary heart disease (CHD). The present study was aimed the effect of CRP on adiponectin and lipid profiles in CHD patients during 8 weeks.

Sixty patients with CHD were divided to 2 groups: the exercise group (EG), who completed a series of CRP (3 times a week, in the morning, at 60-85% of MHR, lasted 45-60 minutes for 8 weeks), and a control group (CG) who did not exercise during 8 weeks. In each group, 16 patients were female and 14 patients were male (n = 30). The body mass index (BMI), waist to hip (WHR), cardiorespiratory variables were determined at baseline after 8-week. Medication and diet remained unchanged in both groups during this period. Data were evaluated by independent t-tests by SPSS software in the significant level P-value < 0.05.

The results showed that there was a significant difference in anthropometric and cardiorespiratory variables except in RDBP between two groups after CRP. Also, a significant decrease was observed in the EG group for serum TC, LDL and TG levels, RSBP, body weight, BMI, WHR and a significant increase for FC, HDL and adiponectin levels compared to baseline (P < 0.05). HDL-cholesterol level in exercise group was higher than control group after CRP (P < 0.05).

Cardiac rehabilitation based on aerobic exercise training may improve plasma lipid profile and adiponectin level in CHD patients, in the absence of changes in diet or medication.