Impact of assisted exercises on skeletal muscle oxygenation levels in men with acutely decompensated heart failure

Background. The complex clinical status of modern day patients hospitalized due to acute heart failure (AHF) results from their advanced age, comorbidities, frailty, heart failure symptoms (including massive swelling of the lower limb), and dramatic reduction of exercise tolerance. Hence, there is a need to implement physiotherapeutic procedures as early as possible, aiming to both accelerate the restoration of clinical stabilization and prevent post-hospital disability. Objectives. We investigated whether assisted lower limb exercises have an impact on perfusion and oxygenation in skeletal muscle and if they are feasible in patients with AHF. Materials and methods. We examined 34 men (age: 66 +/- 11 years; left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF): 34 +/- 11%; clinical presentation: 31 wet-warm and 3 wet-cold). The intervention (carried out on the 2nd day of hospitalization) included: 1) a 3-minute rest period; 2) an exercise phase (45 repetitions of assisted flexion and extension of the lower limb; and 3) a 10-minute relaxation period. We analyzed blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR), tissue oxygenation (reflected by oxygen saturation measured with a pulse oximeter), and changes in peripheral tissue perfusion (reflected by the tissue oxygenation index (TOI) measured with near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS)). Results. The hemodynamic parameters (both Delta HR and Delta systolic BP) and oxygen saturation did not change (all p > 0.05), whereas the RR declined (p < 0.001). The exercises improved venous outflow (reflected by decreased oxygenated, deoxygenated and total hemoglobin, all p < 0.05) and increased peripheral tissue perfusion, as reflected by the TOI (p < 0.05). The patients reported relief and lack of dyspnea during and after the assisted exercises. Conclusions. The physiotherapeutic intervention improved both venous outflow and muscle oxygenation in men with AHF. The presented protocol was safe, feasible and well-tolerated, and resulted in relief for the patients. We believe that such procedures might be recommended for the initial period of rehabilitation in this challenging subgroup of patients.