Effect of Aerobic Exercise on Peak Oxygen Consumption, VE/VCO₂ Slope, and Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients with Heart Failure with Preserved Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Purpose of Review: The aim of this study was to determine the effects of aerobic exercise on peak oxygen uptake (peak VO₂), minute ventilation/carbon dioxide production (VE/VCO₂ slope), and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among patients with heart failure (HF) and preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Recent Findings: We conducted a Cochrane Library, MEDLINE/PubMed, Physiotherapy Evidence Database, and SciELO search (from 1985 to May 2019) for randomized controlled trials that evaluated the effects of aerobic exercise in HFpEF patients. We calculated the mean differences (MD) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Ten intervention studies were included providing a total of 399 patients. Compared with control, aerobic exercise resulted in improvement in peak VO₂ MD 1.9 mL kg⁻¹ min⁻¹ (95% CI 1.3 to 2.5; N = 314) and HRQoL measured by Minnesota Living with Heart Failure MD 5.4 (95% CI − 10.5 to − 0.2; N = 256). No significant difference in VE/VCO₂ slope was found between participants in the aerobic exercise group and the control group. The quality of evidence for peak VO₂ and HRQoL was assessed as being moderate. Summary: Aerobic exercise moderately improves peak VO₂ and HRQoL and should be considered a strategy of rehabilitation of HFpEF individuals.