Abstract des Autors

Objective: Poor cardiorespiratory endurance is a common finding in neuromuscular disease (NMD), and the capacity of such patients to respond to aerobic training is unclear. This study was conducted to determine if a 12-week walking program results in increased aerobic capacity in slowly progressive NMD subjects, whether such a program is safely tolerated, and whether such patients can adhere to a self-monitored, home-based training program. Design: before-after trial. Setting: Subjects' homes. Patients: A cohort of 8 slowly progressive NMD subjects (4 men, 4 women) followed in the neuromuscular disease clinic participated (age, 36.6+/-8.0 yrs; ht, 170+/-11 cm; wt, 74.3+/-19.0 kg) (Mean+/-SD). Intervention: Subjects walked 15 to 30 min 3 to 4 days a week at 50% to 60% of their heart rate reserve. Main Outcome Measures: Resting, submaximal, and peak heart rates, systolic and diastolic blood pressures, oxygen uptake, and peak power output. Results: Graded exercise testing to volitional fatigue using a semirecumbent cycle ergometer before and after the training program found significant decreases in submaximal heart rate by 7+/-3 beats/min (Mean+/-SEM) (95%CI=-23 to 9) (p=.046) and submaximal systolic blood pressure by 11+/-4 mmHg (95%CI=-31 to 9) (p=.019), and nonsignificant increases in peak power output and VO2. Conclusions: These results suggest that moderate-intensity aerobic exercise training is well tolerated and may provide modest improvement in aerobic capacity in slowly progressive NMD subjects. Verf.-Referat