Influence of exercise training on erythropoietic factors in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction

Background
Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction is a disease, which makes up for around 50% of all Heart failure patients. Patients suffer from reduced quality of life, risk of hospitalisations and mortality, exercise intolerance and a wide spectrum of comorbidities. So far, no treatments have been found. Some studies suggest the use of aerobic exercise training to treat and rehabilitate patients. Studies were able to show decreases in hospitalisations and mortality and increases in cardiorespiratory fitness through exercise training although the underlying mechanisms for these changes remain to be investigated. Goal of this thesis was to investigate the effects of exercise training on total haemoglobin mass and red blood cell constituents and their relation to peak oxygen consumption.
Methods
38 subjects with Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction were chosen to participate in a 12-week mixed aerobic and resistance exercise intervention. Measurements were done at two times of measurement (pre- and post-intervention) and data was gathered by blood imaging, carbon monoxide rebreathing method and cardiopulmonary exercise testing. Statistical analysis was done by calculating Pearson correlations, T-test and Wilcoxon test.
Results
Subjects achieved significant changes in VO₂peak and HCT through exercise training. Significant correlations were found between VO₂peak and several parameters such as Hbmass, MCV, MCH, RDW-CV and PV.
Conclusion
Hbmass and constituents of the red blood did not change significantly over the training period except for HCT. Mechanisms underlying increases in VO₂peak in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction patients through exercise training remain speculative.