Impact of Aerobic Training on Sleep Quality and Aerobic Fitness in Male Patients With Pulmonary Artery Hypertension

Impact of Aerobic Training on Sleep Quality and Aerobic Fitness in Male Patients With Pulmonary Artery Hypertension: a Randomized Control Study

This study investigated the effect of 12 weeks of aerobic training on sleep quality and aerobic fitness in patients with Pulmonary arterial hypertension(PAH).

Thirty male PAH patients were included in the study. They were randomized into two equal groups; Training group (A) and Control group(B). Right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP) measured using Doppler Echocardiography , Pittsburg sleep quality index (PSQI) questionnaire with the wrist worn actigraph used for the assessment of sleep disturbance, and Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) measurements included maximal heart rate and VO2max .All were measured before and after the study period for both groups.The training was a moderate intensity aerobic training on a bicycle ergometer (corresponding to 60% to 70% of the maximal heart rate they reach during peak oxygen uptake in the initial exercise test) for 30 to 45 min/day, 3 sessions/week for 12 weeks (36 sessions).

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients who were clinically stable and compensated under optimized medical therapy
• World health organization (WHO) Classification of functional class II to III PAH
• Patients with ejection fraction ≥ 40%
• Non-smokers
• body mass index ≤ 35 kg/m2

Exclusion Criteria:

• Any patient with respiratory failure
• unstable angina
• renal, hepatic or neuromuscular disorders
• history of syncopal attacks
• uncontrolled systemic hypertension
• peripheral vascular disease
• serious cardiac dysrhythmias on resting ECG
• evidence of severe COPD at pulmonary function testing,
• any known musculoskeletal or neurological conditions that might interfere with the execution or the assessment of the exercise