Effect of exercise intensity and frequency on lipid levels in men with coronary heart disease: Training level comparison trial

The objective of the Training Level Comparison Trial was to determine wheth er a more intense exercise program versus a less intensive program has addi tional favorable effects on blood lipids in men with coronary heart disease (CHD) over a 12-month period. The study-a randomized, controlled trial con ducted at 2 clinical centers-enrolled 185 patients with documented CHD, A s imple randomization procedure led to unequal numbers of patients in the 2 i nterventions: 82 in the low-intensity and 103 in the high-intensity group, Target heart rate during exercise corresponded to 50% of maximum oxygen upt ake (VO2 max) +/- 5 beats/min in the low-intensity group and 85% +/- 5 beet s/min in the high-intensity group. The intensity of exercise made little di fference on lipid improvements. However, the attendance rates for the 6- an d 12-month periods (percent age of total exercise sessions attended) were s ignificantly related to increased high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholestero l (r(s) [Spearman rank correlation coefficient 0.20 to 0.26, p <0.05]), and decreases in the ratios of low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-to-HDL cholestero l (LDL:HDL, r(s) = -0.24 to -0.28, p <0.01) and totol-to-HDL cholesterol (t otal:HDL, r(s) = -0.25 to -0.29, p <0.01) at 6 and 12 months. The relation of the attendance rate to LDL:HDL and total:HDL ratios remained significant in repeated-measures regression analysis. Exercise frequency may be more i mportant than intensity in improving HDL cholesterol and LDL:HDL and total: HDL ratios in men with CHD, <(c)>2001 by Excerpta Medica, Inc.