Effect of cardiac rehabilitation on cognitive function in elderly patients with cardiovascular diseases

• Published in: PloS one 2020-05, Vol.15 (5), p.e0233688-e0233688
• Main Authors: Fujiyoshi, Kazuhiro, Minami, Yoshiyasu, Yamaoka-Tojo, Minako, Kutsuna, Toshiki, Obara, Shinichi, Aoyama, Akihiro, Ako, Junya
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Angina pectoris; Biology and Life Sciences; Cardiac arrhythmia; Cardiac rehabilitation; Cardiovascular disease; Cardiovascular diseases; Care and treatment; Cognitive ability; Confidence intervals; Dementia; Elderly patients; Evaluation; Exercise; Geriatrics; Health aspects; Health sciences; Heart failure; Hospitals; Laboratories; Medicine; Medicine and Health Sciences; Old age cognition; Older people; Patient outcomes; Patients; People and Places; Physical fitness; Prevention; Rehabilitation
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0233688

Cognitive function is an important factor for secondary prevention in elderly patients with cardiovascular diseases. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) on the improvement of cognitive function. A total of 66 consecutive elderly patients (≥70 years old) with cardiovascular diseases were prospectively enrolled. The change in cognitive function during 6 months was compared between the patients with monthly CR (at least once per month; n = 27) and those without monthly CR (n = 39). Cognitive function was evaluated using the Mini-mental State Examination (MMSE) and Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB). There was no significant difference in baseline characteristics between the 2 groups. The change in the MMSE score was significantly greater in patients with monthly CR than in those without monthly CR (2.3 ± 0.4 vs. -0.1 ± 0.3 points; p