OUTCOME OF CARDIAC REHABILITATION BYPASS SURGERY PATIENTS WITHOUT ENTRY EXERCISE TESTS 1580

One hundred fifty-two post-bypass patients entered a 12-week cardiac rehab program. 48 did not have a program entry graded exercise test (NGXT group), 104 had testing (GXT group). Week 1 (WK1) and Week 12 (WK12) differences were investigated for: 1) caloric expenditure in the rehab program, 2) body weight, and 3) exercise heart rate. The relationship between caloric expenditure and VO2max was investigated for GXT. GXT had higher caloric expenditures than NGXT (p<.036). Both groups showed improvement (p<.001) from WK1 to WK12, with NGXT being greater (+93.1% versus +80.4%). Though body weight showed a slight decrease (-.7%; p=.02) there was no difference between groups. The exercise heart rate was higher in the GXT group (p<.001) at WK12. There were significant but modest correlations between VO2max and caloric expenditure for WK1 (r=.47, p<.001), WK12 (r=.59, p<.001) and between the change in VO2max and caloric expenditure (r=.32, p<.001) from WK1 to WK12. There were no differences between groups with regards to complications. Summary: 1) Both groups had similar increases in caloric expenditure. The lower caloric expenditure in NGXT may be attributed to a more conservative approach at program entry, they entered cardiac rehab earlier (27 versus 40 days post surgery), and had more women. 2) Changes in caloric expenditure were moderately reflective of changes in VO2max. 3) There were no differences in complications. Conclusion: Bypass patients can be exercised safely and efficaciously during cardiac rehabilitation without an entry GXT.