Effects of high-intensity interval training on cardiopulmonary function and quality of life in post-PCI or CABG patients with coronary heart disease: a meta-analysis

Abstract Background High-intensity interval training (HIIT) has emerged as a potential cardiac rehabilitation strategy for coronary heart disease (CHD) post-surgery, but its efficacy compared to moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) remains uncertain. Aim This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate...

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Main Authors: Guizhen Hong, Fei Liu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-07-01
Series:Journal of Cardiothoracic Surgery
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s13019-025-03543-2
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author Guizhen Hong
Fei Liu
author_facet Guizhen Hong
Fei Liu
author_sort Guizhen Hong
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background High-intensity interval training (HIIT) has emerged as a potential cardiac rehabilitation strategy for coronary heart disease (CHD) post-surgery, but its efficacy compared to moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) remains uncertain. Aim This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effects of HIIT on cardiopulmonary function and quality of life in CHD patients post-PCI or CABG in comparison with MICT. Methods We systematically reviewed randomized controlled trials from PMID, Cochrane, Embase, Wanfang, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) databases comparing HIIT with MICT in CHD patients. Data on peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak), left ventricular ejection function (LVEF), heart rates, and quality of life were extracted and analyzed using random—or fixed-effects models based on heterogeneity. Results HIIT significantly improved VO2peak by 1.678 mL/kg/min (95%CI = 1.082–2.275), increased LVEF by 2.831% (95%CI = 1.124–4.538), enhanced peak HR by 6.717 beats/min (95%CI = 5.111–8.323) compared to MICT. Resting HR did not differ significantly between groups. Quality of life (SMD = 0.132, 95%CI = 0.051–0.213, P = 0.001) was significantly elevated by HIIT, particularly in the physical domain. Subgroup analyses showed consistent benefits of HIIT across exercise durations and times. Conclusion HIIT effectively enhances cardiopulmonary function and quality of life in CHD post-surgery. HIIT may be a time-efficient alternative to MICT in cardiac rehabilitation programs. However, publication bias and high heterogeneity warrant caution in interpreting these results, indicating a need for further research.
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spelling doaj-art-06eb51479eb0459eaab901974b35e0fa2025-08-20T04:02:44ZengBMCJournal of Cardiothoracic Surgery1749-80902025-07-0120112110.1186/s13019-025-03543-2Effects of high-intensity interval training on cardiopulmonary function and quality of life in post-PCI or CABG patients with coronary heart disease: a meta-analysisGuizhen Hong0Fei Liu1Nutriology Department, Guilin Rehabilitation and Rehabilitation Center of Joint Logistics Support ForceSanatorium Department, Guilin Rehabilitation and Rehabilitation Center of Joint Logistics Support ForceAbstract Background High-intensity interval training (HIIT) has emerged as a potential cardiac rehabilitation strategy for coronary heart disease (CHD) post-surgery, but its efficacy compared to moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) remains uncertain. Aim This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effects of HIIT on cardiopulmonary function and quality of life in CHD patients post-PCI or CABG in comparison with MICT. Methods We systematically reviewed randomized controlled trials from PMID, Cochrane, Embase, Wanfang, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) databases comparing HIIT with MICT in CHD patients. Data on peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak), left ventricular ejection function (LVEF), heart rates, and quality of life were extracted and analyzed using random—or fixed-effects models based on heterogeneity. Results HIIT significantly improved VO2peak by 1.678 mL/kg/min (95%CI = 1.082–2.275), increased LVEF by 2.831% (95%CI = 1.124–4.538), enhanced peak HR by 6.717 beats/min (95%CI = 5.111–8.323) compared to MICT. Resting HR did not differ significantly between groups. Quality of life (SMD = 0.132, 95%CI = 0.051–0.213, P = 0.001) was significantly elevated by HIIT, particularly in the physical domain. Subgroup analyses showed consistent benefits of HIIT across exercise durations and times. Conclusion HIIT effectively enhances cardiopulmonary function and quality of life in CHD post-surgery. HIIT may be a time-efficient alternative to MICT in cardiac rehabilitation programs. However, publication bias and high heterogeneity warrant caution in interpreting these results, indicating a need for further research.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13019-025-03543-2Coronary heart diseaseHigh-intensity interval trainingVO2peakLVEFQuality of life
spellingShingle Guizhen Hong
Fei Liu
Effects of high-intensity interval training on cardiopulmonary function and quality of life in post-PCI or CABG patients with coronary heart disease: a meta-analysis
Journal of Cardiothoracic Surgery
Coronary heart disease
High-intensity interval training
VO2peak
LVEF
Quality of life
title Effects of high-intensity interval training on cardiopulmonary function and quality of life in post-PCI or CABG patients with coronary heart disease: a meta-analysis
title_full Effects of high-intensity interval training on cardiopulmonary function and quality of life in post-PCI or CABG patients with coronary heart disease: a meta-analysis
title_fullStr Effects of high-intensity interval training on cardiopulmonary function and quality of life in post-PCI or CABG patients with coronary heart disease: a meta-analysis
title_full_unstemmed Effects of high-intensity interval training on cardiopulmonary function and quality of life in post-PCI or CABG patients with coronary heart disease: a meta-analysis
title_short Effects of high-intensity interval training on cardiopulmonary function and quality of life in post-PCI or CABG patients with coronary heart disease: a meta-analysis
title_sort effects of high intensity interval training on cardiopulmonary function and quality of life in post pci or cabg patients with coronary heart disease a meta analysis
topic Coronary heart disease
High-intensity interval training
VO2peak
LVEF
Quality of life
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s13019-025-03543-2
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