AEROBIC ENDURANCE TRAINING-PROGRAM IMPROVES EXERCISE PERFORMANCE IN LUNG-TRANSPLANT RECIPIENTS

Study objective: To determine whether an aerobic endurance training pr ogram (AET) in comparison to normal daily activities improves exercise capacity in lung transplant recipients. Patients and study design: Ni ne lung transplant recipients (12+/-6 months after transplant) were ex amined. All patients underwent incremental bicycle ergometry with the work rate increased in increments of 20 W every 3 min. Identical exerc ise tests were performed after 11+/-5 weeks of normal daily activities and then after a 6-week AET. The weekly aerobic training time increas ed from 60 min at the beginning to 120 min during the last week. Train ing intensity ranged from 30 to 60% of the maximum heart rate reserve. Results: Normal daily activities had no effect on exercise performanc e. The AET induced a significant decrease in resting minute ventilatio n from 14+/-5 to 11+/-3 L/min. At an identical, submaximal level of ex ercise, a significant decrease in minute ventilation from 47+14 L/min to 39+/-13 L/min and heart rate from 144+/-12 to 133+/-17 beats/min, b efore and after the AET, was noted. The increase in peak oxygen uptake after AET was statistically significant (1.13+/-0.32 to 1.26+/-0.27 L /min). Conclusions: These data demonstrate that normal daily activitie s do not affect exercise performance in lung transplant recipients gre ater than or equal to 6 months after lung transplantation. An AET impr oves submaximal and peak exercise performance significantly.