Women and men profit equally from cardiac rehabilitation: a secondary analysis of the OPTICARE RCT.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

To explore sex-specific differences in cardiac rehabilitation (CR) outcomes.

Methods

Aerobic capacity (6-Minute Walk Test), physical behaviour (accelerometer), cardiovascular risk profile (weight, blood pressure, cholesterol), and psychosocial well-being (questionnaires) were measured in patients after an acute coronary syndrome (147 women, 642 men) at CR start and completion, and 18 months' follow-up. Sex differences were studied using GEE models adjusted for age and differences in baseline characteristics. Additionally, whether men and women met targets associated with health risk reductions was assessed.

Results

Both sexes experienced similar CR benefits. Only for depressive symptoms did women show larger improvements (HADS score; ♀: -2.7 vs ♂: -1.1; p = 0.

SUBMITTER: Ter Hoeve N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12794302 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature