A study by Corvera-Tindel et al (2004) evaluate the effectiveness of a 12 weeks of low-intensity home walking exercise program(HWE) on clinical outcomes for HF patient. The primary oucome included exercise capacity and functional performance. The secondary outcome included dyspnea and fatigue. All patients (n=79) were randomized into the training group (n =42) underwent low intensity (40%-65%) HWE training, and the no-exercise control group (n = 37). There were improvement shown in 6-minute walk test with 45% of training group patients improved their 6-MWT distances . The post global rating of symptoms also improve when compared with a usual activity control group.
The limitation of this study included that research assistants conducted the 6-MWT were not blinded to the subgroups. To minimise possible bias in assessing outcome measures, they should be blinded to the allocation groups. Time and distance walked were recorded by a pedometer given to the patients. The pedometers were not sealed, patients could read the daily distances travelled . There were also minor clinical events such as flu, comorbidities interrupted the 51.4% patients in the training program.
The compliance rates slowly decreased from 81% in the 5th week to 65% to 71% in the last 6 weeks. Low compliance rate may have affected the training effects on peak Vo2.
