Exercise Training for Pulmonary Hypertension: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

<p><b>Background:</b> Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a chronic disease with a notable health burden; regular exercise may improve specific health outcome measures. <b>Objective:</b> The objective of this meta-analysis was to estimate the effectiveness of exercise training for PH patients. <b>Data sources:</b> PubMed, CINAHL, SportDiscuss and Google Scholar databases and reference lists of included studies were searched. <b>Study selection:</b> The selection criteria were randomized controlled trials (RCTs) employing an exercise training intervention. Data were extracted from the entered studies for analysis. The primary outcomes were peak oxygen uptake (VO_2peak), anaerobic threshold (AT), 6-minute walk distance (6-MWD), and quality of life (QoL) measures (physical component score and mental component score). The analysis included 9 articles with a total of 302 participants: intervention (n = 154), and control (n = 148). Results: In the pooled analysis, improvements were seen in: VO_2peak, mean difference (MD) 2.79 ml/kg/min (95% CI 2.00 to 3.59, <i>p</i> < 0.00001); AT, MD 107.83 ml/min (95% CI 39.64 to 176.00, <i>p</i> = 0.002); and 6-MWD, MD 46.67 meters (95% CI 32.39 to 60.96, <i>p</i> < 0.00001). Differences were found in the SF-36 physical component score MD 3.57 (95% CI 2.04 to 5.10, <i>p</i> < 0.00001) and the SF-36 mental component score MD 3.92 (95% CI 1.92 to 5.91, <i>p</i> = 0.001). <b>Conclusion:</b> This meta-analysis demonstrates exercise training has a beneficial effect on fitness, walking performance, and self-reported QoL in PH patients.</p>