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Annett Salzwedel,1 Rona Reibis,2 Miralem Hadzic,1 Hermann Buhlert,3 Heinz Völler1,31Department of Rehabilitation Research, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany; 2Cardiological Outpatient Clinik Am Park Sanssouci, Potsdam, Germany; 3Department of Cardiology, Klinik Am See, Rehabilitation Centre of Cardiovascular Diseases, Rüdersdorf, GermanyObjective: We aimed to characterize patients after an acute cardiac event regarding their negative expectations around returning to work and the impact on work capacity upon discharge from cardiac rehabilitation (CR).Methods: We analyzed routine data of 884 patients (52±7 years, 76% men) who attended 3 weeks of inpatient CR after an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) or cardiac surgery between October 2013 and March 2015. The primary outcome was their status determining their capacity to work (fit vs unfit) at discharge from CR. Further, sociodemographic data (eg, age, sex, and education level), diagnoses, functional data (eg, exercise stress test and 6-min walking test [6MWT]), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and self-assessment of the occupational prognosis (negative expectations and/or unemployment, Würzburger screening) at admission to CR were considered.Results: A negative occupational prognosis was detected in 384 patients (43%). Out of these, 368 (96%) expected not to return to work after CR and/or were unemployed before CR at 29% (n=113). Affected patients showed a reduced exercise capacity (bicycle stress test: 100 W vs 118 W, P

Annett Salzwedel,1 Maria-Dorothea Heidler,1,2 Kathrin Haubold,1 Martin Schikora,2 Rona Reibis,3 Karl Wegscheider,4 Michael Jöbges,2 Heinz Völler1,5 1Center for Rehabilitation Research, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, 2Brandenburg Klinik, Bernau, 3Cardiological Outpatient Clinic, Am Park Sanssouci, Potsdam, 4Institute for Medical Biometry and Epidemiology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, 5Klinik am See, Rüdersdorf, Germany Introduction: Adequate cognitive function in patients is a prerequisite for successful implementation of patient education and lifestyle coping in comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation (CR) programs. Although the association between cardiovascular diseases and cognitive impairments (CIs) is well known, the prevalence particularly of mild CI in CR and the characteristics of affected patients have been insufficiently investigated so far. Methods: In this prospective observational study, 496 patients (54.5 ± 6.2 years, 79.8% men) with coronary artery disease following an acute coronary event (ACE) were analyzed. Patients were enrolled within 14 days of discharge from the hospital in a 3-week inpatient CR program. Patients were tested for CI using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) upon admission to and discharge from CR. Additionally, sociodemographic, clinical, and physiological variables were documented. The data were analyzed descriptively and in a multivariate stepwise backward elimination regression model with respect to CI. Results: At admission to CR, the CI (MoCA score < 26) was determined in 182 patients (36.7%). Significant differences between CI and no CI groups were identified, and CI group was associated with high prevalence of smoking (65.9 vs 56.7%, P=0.046), heavy (physically demanding) workloads (26.4 vs 17.8%, P&nbsp

Frank Noack,1,2 Bernd Schmidt,1 Mroawan Amoury,2 Dietrich Stoevesandt,3 Stephan Gielen,4 Birgit Pflaumbaum,5 Christiane Girschick,5 Heinz Völler,6 Axel Schlitt5,7 1Department of Medicine I, 2Department of Emergency Medicine, 3Department of Diagnostic Radiology, 4Department of Medicine III, University Clinic Halle (Saale), Halle, Germany; 5Department of Cardiology and Pulmology, Paracelsus-Harz-Clinic Bad Suderode, Quedlinburg, Germany; 6Klinik am See, Rüdersdorf, Germany; 7Medical Faculty, Martin Luther University Halle, Wittenberg, Germany Background: Venous thromboembolism is a life-threatening disease. In survivors, different degrees of functional complaints need to be restored or prevented (eg, post-thrombotic syndrome, pulmonary hypertension). Therefore, rehabilitation after venous thromboembolism is recommended in Germany. However, a structured rehabilitation program has not been defined for this indication. Here, we present the experience of a single rehabilitation center. Methods: Data from consecutive pulmonary embolism (PE) patients who were referred for a 3-week inpatient rehabilitation program from 2006 to 2014 were retrospectively evaluated. Results: In all, 422 patients were identified. The mean age was 63.9±13.5 years, the mean body mass index (BMI) was 30.6±6.2 kg/m2, and 51.9% were female. Deep vein thrombosis according to PE was known for 55.5% of all patients. We applied a wide range of therapeutic interventions such as bicycle training with monitored heart rate in 86.7%, respiratory training in 82.5%, aquatic therapy/swimming in 40.1%, and medical training therapy in 14.9% of all patients. Adverse events (AEs) occurred in 57 patients during the 3-week rehabilitation period. The most common AEs were cold (n=6), diarrhea (n=5), and infection of the upper or lower respiratory tract that was treated with antibiotics (n=5). However, three patients under anticoagulation therapy suffered from bleeding, which was clinically relevant in one. Four patients (0.9%) had to be transferred to a primary care hospital for non-PE-associated reasons (acute coronary syndrome, pharyngeal abscess, and acute abdominal problems). No influence of any of the physical activity interventions on the incidence of any AE was found. Conclusion: Since PE is a life-threatening disease, it seems reasonable to recommend rehabilitation at least in PE patients with an intermediate or high risk. It is shown for the first time in this study that a standard rehabilitation program after PE is safe. However, efficacy and safety in the long term need to be studied prospectively. Keywords: venous thromboembolism, pulmonary embolism, rehabilitation

Anselm Gitt1, Christina Jannowitz2, Marthin Karoff3, Barbara Karmann2, Martin Horack1, Heinz Völler4,51Institut für Herzinfarktforschung an der Universität Heidelberg, Ludwigshafen,2Medical Affairs, MSD Sharp and Dohme GmbH, Haar, 3Klinik Königsfeld der Deutschen Rentenversicherung Westfalen in Ennepetal (NRW), Klinik der Universität Witten-Herdecke, 4Kardiologie, Klinik am See, Rüdersdorf, 5Center of Rehabilitation Research, University Potsdam, GermanyAim: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a clustering of factors that are associated with increased cardiovascular risk. We aimed to investigate the proportion of patients with MetS in patients undergoing cardiac rehabilitation (CR), and to describe differences between patients with MetS compared to those without MetS with regard to (1) patient characteristics including demographics, risk factors, and comorbidities, (2) risk factor management including drug treatment, and (3) control status of risk factors at entry to CR and discharge from CR.Methods: Post-hoc analysis of data from 27,904 inpatients (Transparency Registry to Objectify Guideline-Oriented Risk Factor Management registry) that underwent a CR period of about 3 weeks were analyzed descriptively in total and compared by their MetS status.Results: In the total cohort, mean age was 64.3 years, (71.7% male), with no major differences between groups. Patients had been referred after a ST elevation of myocardial infarction event in 41.1% of cases, non-ST elevation of myocardial infarction in 21.8%, or angina pectoris in 16.7%. They had received a percutaneous coronary intervention in 55.1% and bypass surgery (coronary artery bypass graft) in 39.5%. Patients with MetS (n = 15,819) compared to those without MetS (n = 12,085) were less frequently males, and in terms of cardiac interventions, more often received coronary artery bypass surgery. Overall, statin use increased from 79.9% at entry to 95.0% at discharge (MetS: 79.7% to 95.2%). Patients with MetS compared to those without MetS received angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, oral antidiabetics, and insulin at entry and discharge more frequently, and less frequently clopidogrel and aspirin/clopidogrel combinations. Mean blood pressure was within the normal range at discharge, and did not differ substantially between groups (124/73 versus 120/72 mmHg). Overall, between entry and discharge, levels of total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglycerides were substantially lowered, in particular in MetS patients. Thus, control rates of lipid parameters improved substantially, with the exception of high density lipoprotein cholesterol. Low density lipoprotein cholesterol rates

Kurt Bestehorn1, Christina Jannowitz2, Martin Horack3, Barbara Karmann2, Martin Halle4, Heinz Völler5 1Institute for Clinical Pharmacology, Technical University, Dresden; 2Medical Department, MSD Sharp and Dohme GmbH, Haar; 3Institut für Herzinfarktforschung Ludwigshafen an der Universität Heidelberg, Ludwigshafen; 4Center for Prevention and Sports Medicine, Technical University, Munich; 5Klinik am See, Rehabilitation Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Rüdersdorf, Germany Background: After the acute hospital stay, most cardiac patients in Germany are transferred for a 3–4-week period of inpatient cardiac rehabilitation. We aim to describe patient characteristics and risk factor management of cardiac rehabilitation patients with a focus on drug treatment and control status, differentiated by education level (low level, elementary school; intermediate level, secondary modern school; high level, grammar school/university). Methods: Data covering a time period between 2003 and 2008 from 68,191 hospitalized patients in cardiac rehabilitation from a large-scale registry (Transparency Registry to Objectify Guideline-Oriented Risk Factor Management) were analyzed descriptively. Further, a multivariate model was applied to assess factors associated with good control of risk factors. Results: In the total cohort, patients with a manifestation of coronary artery disease (mean age 63.7 years, males 71.7%) were referred to cardiac rehabilitation after having received percutaneous coronary intervention (51.6%) or coronary bypass surgery (39.5%). Statin therapy increased from 76.3% at entry to 88.9% at discharge, and low density lipoprotein cholesterol