Amanda R. Bonikowske

Background: Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) leads to increased exercise capacity (VO ₂ peak) and risk reduction of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs). Women exhibit blunted VO ₂ peak improvements following CR. The purpose was to examine sex differences in the clinical predictors of VO ₂ peak improvement and odds of MACEs following CR. Methods: From 1999 to 2017, all consecutive patients undergoing cardiopulmonary exercise testing before and after CR were included. Sex differences in peak exercise metrics in response to CR were compared. Multiple logistic regression models were fit to assess clinical predictors of VO ₂ peak improvement (defined as >0% from pre‐CR) and MACEs following CR for men and women. Results: A total of 513 men and 158 women were included. Men had greater increases in VO ₂ peak than women following CR ( P =0.001). For men, independent predictors of VO ₂ peak improvement following CR included higher CR session attendance (odds ratio [OR], 1.04 [95% CI, 1.02–1.06]), peripheral artery disease (OR, 0.47 [95% CI, 0.25–0.86]), and pre‐CR VO ₂ peak (OR, 0.98 [95% CI, 0.97–0.99]) (all, P 2 peak (OR, 0.98 [95% CI, 0.97–0.99]), surgical CR indication (OR, 0.34 [95% CI, 0.18–0.68]), and no history of peripheral artery disease (OR, 2.94 [95% CI, 1.60–5.38]) (all, P 2 peak improvement or odds of MACEs (except for diabetes) following CR. Conclusions: These findings suggest that clinical predictors of VO ₂ peak improvement and odds of MACEs following CR are sex specific.

Cardiovascular disease involves complex molecular, cellular, and physiological derangements that present challenges for traditional diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. Precision medicine is an evolving field that seeks to tailor interventions according to an individual's genetic, molecular, and physiological characteristics. By leveraging advanced omics approaches, including genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and microbiomics, precision medicine may enable more comprehensive patient phenotyping and support the development of more individualized strategies. The emerging concept of precision cardiac rehabilitation (CR) could provide a more tailored approach to cardiac care by integrating artificial intelligence (AI) with multimodal data, including clinical, imaging, physiological, and omics information. In this context, AI has been explored as a tool to support risk assessment, exercise prescription, and monitoring during CR. However, current evidence remains limited and heterogeneous. Omics-based approaches are primarily confined to research and translational settings, and their role in guiding individualized exercise prescription or clinical decision making in CR remains unestablished. Similarly, while AI shows promise for improving adherence, remote monitoring, and data integration, its effectiveness for optimizing clinical outcomes in CR requires further validation. Overall, precision CR represents a promising but still evolving paradigm. Future progress will depend on well-designed clinical trials, real-world data integration, standardized methodologies, and interdisciplinary collaboration to determine whether these technologies can be safely and effectively integrated into routine clinical practice.

Background. Frailty is a modifiable risk factor for morbidity and mortality among kidney transplant (KT) candidates. We previously demonstrated that an 8-wk center-based exercise intervention is associated with improved frailty parameters in patients with advanced chronic kidney disease. This study aimed to adapt the intervention for home-based delivery and examine its feasibility, safety, and acceptability in a multicenter cohort of KT candidates. Methods. We conducted a prospective pilot study between January 2021 and November 2023 involving KT candidates from Mayo Clinic in Minnesota and Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center in Texas. Adults approved for KT who were (1) frail or prefrail by the Physical Frailty Phenotype and/or (2) had a Short Physical Performance Battery score ≤10 were enrolled. The exercise intervention consisted of an individualized exercise prescription provided by a Mayo Clinic exercise physiologist followed by 8 weekly phone calls. Feasibility was assessed via retention rates, adverse events were recorded, and acceptability was assessed via survey. Results. Baseline characteristics of the 15 enrolled participants included a median age of 64 y, 73.3% were men, and 73.3% were of White race. Sixty percent of participants completed the intervention. No unanticipated adverse events occurred. Most participants strongly agreed that the exercise intervention was beneficial to their overall health. Conclusions. This pilot study demonstrates that a home-based 8-wk exercise intervention is a promising prehabilitation strategy in KT candidates and provides important preliminary data for future larger, randomized studies. Export

Considerable and convincing global data from cohorts across the health spectrum (i.e. apparently healthy to known disease) indicate that cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) is a major predictor of overall and cardiovascular disease (CVD)-survival, seemingly with greater prognostic resolution compared to other traditional CVD risk factors. Therefore, the assessment of CRF in research and clinical settings is of major importance. In this manuscript, we review the technology of measuring CRF assessed by the 'gold standard,' cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET), as well as with various other methods (e.g. estimated metabolic equivalents, 6-minute walk tests, shuttle tests, and non-exercise equations that estimate CRF), all of which provide significant prognostic information for CVD- and all-cause survival. The literature through May 2024 has been cited. The promotion of physical activity in efforts to improve levels of CRF is needed throughout the world to improve lifespan and, more importantly, healthspan. The routine assessment of CRF should be considered a vital sign that is routinely assessed in clinical practice.

Background: Extended sedentary behavior is a risk factor for chronic disease and mortality, even among those who exercise regularly. Given the time constraints of incorporating physical activity into daily schedules, and the high likelihood of sitting during office work, this environment may serve as a potentially feasible setting for interventions to reduce sedentary behavior. Methods and Results: A randomized cross‐over clinical trial was conducted at an employee wellness center. Four office settings were evaluated on 4 consecutive days: stationary or sitting station on day 1 (referent), and 3 subsequent active workstations (standing, walking, or stepper) in randomized order. Neurocognitive function (Selective Attention, Grammatical Reasoning, Odd One Out, Object Reasoning, Visuospatial Intelligence, Limited‐Hold Memory, Paired Associates Learning, and Digit Span) and fine motor skills (typing speed and accuracy) were tested using validated tools. Average scores were compared among stations using linear regression with generalized estimating equations to adjust standard errors. Bonferroni method adjusted for multiple comparisons. Healthy subjects were enrolled (n=44), 28 (64%) women, mean±SD age 35±11 years, weight 75.5±17.1 kg, height 168.5±10.0 cm, and body mass index 26.5±5.2 kg/m ² . When comparing active stations to sitting, neurocognitive test either improved or remained unchanged, while typing speed decreased without affecting typing errors. Overall results improved after day 1, suggesting habituation. We observed no major differences across active stations, except decrease in average typing speed 42.5 versus 39.7 words per minute with standing versus stepping ( P =0.003). Conclusions: Active workstations improved cognitive performance, suggesting that these workstations can help decrease sedentary time without work performance impairment. Registration: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov ; Unique identifier: NCT06240286.

Chronic heart failure (HF) is a major cause of morbidity, mortality, disability, and health care costs. A hallmark feature of HF is severe exercise intolerance, which is multifactorial and stems from central and peripheral pathophysiological mechanisms. Exercise training is internationally recognized as a Class 1 recommendation for patients with HF, regardless of whether ejection fraction is reduced or preserved. Optimal exercise prescription has been shown to enhance exercise capacity, improve quality of life, and reduce hospitalizations and mortality in patients with HF. This article will review the rationale and current recommendations for aerobic training, resistance training, and inspiratory muscle training in patients with HF. Furthermore, the review provides practical guidelines for optimizing exercise prescription according to the principles of frequency, intensity, time (duration), type, volume, and progression. Finally, the review addresses common clinical considerations and strategies when prescribing exercise in patients with HF, including considerations for medications, implantable devices, exercise-induced ischemia, and/or frailty.