Cardiac Rehabilitation and Coronary Artery Disease

Summary

Patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) aged 40-70 years will undergo exercise training (thrice weekly for 12 weeks). A reference group composed of healthy individuals will be included. Evaluations will be conducted at baseline and after the intervention period during two visits. During the first visit, carotid artery thickness will be assessed via ultrasound before and after a cardiopulmonary exercise testing. The second visit will include the evaluation of endothelial function using venous occlusion plethysmography. After this, participants will engage in 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, and blood samples will be collected pre- and post-exercise. Circulating levels of kynurenine pathway (KP) metabolites (Tryptophan, kynurenine, kynurenic acid, and quinolinic acid), pro-inflammatory cytokines, cell adhesion molecules, and lipid profiles will be measured via Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA), multiplex essays, and biochemical analysis; respectively.

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

* Eligible CAD patients will be those aged 40 to 70 years, of both sexes, entering the cardiac rehabilitation program at HUPE. CAD will be defined as any acute coronary syndrome, including myocardial infarction with and without ST-segment elevation, and unstable angina (all defined by characteristic histories, electrocardiographic abnormalities, and cardiac enzyme abnormalities), or obstructive CAD diagnosed via coronary angiography (defined as ≥ 50% stenosis of any epicardial coronary artery) in patients with stable angina.
* Healthy controls: adults aged 40 to 70 years, of both sexes, without CAD evidence.

Exclusion Criteria:

* diagnosis of heart failure, pulmonary disease, Chagas disease, or tuberculosis
* regular physical exercise practice (≥ 3 days/week for 30 min) over the past 6 months
* malnutrition (body mass index \[BMI\] \< 18.5 kg/m²)
* smoking
* obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m²)

Conditions3

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