Meta-analysis of exercise intervention on cardiopulmonary function in stroke patients

Deng Yiran; Wang Xianliang; Li Dandan

doi:10.12307/2025.792

Abstract：OBJECTIVE:Clinically,stroke patients experience significant cardiopulmonary dysfunction during rehabilitation,which increases the likelihood of recurrent stroke.However,exercise interventions can effectively improve cardiopulmonary function in stroke patients.This paper employs meta-analysis to conduct a comprehensive quantitative evaluation of domestic and international studies on the improvement of cardiopulmonary function in stroke patients through exercise interventions.It examines the effects of different exercise modalities on the cardiopulmonary function of stroke patients and explores the optimal exercise regimen. METHODS:China National Knowledge Infrastructure(CNKI),WanFang Data,VIP,Web of Science,Cochrane Library,PubMed,and EBSCO databases were searched for articles published from inception to May 15,2024,primarily including randomized controlled trials on exercise interventions improving cardiopulmonary function in stroke patients.Statistical analyses were conducted using Review Manager 5.4 and Stata 17 software. RESULTS:(1)A total of 32 articles meeting the criteria were included,involving 1 826 stroke patients.(2)The results showed that exercise interventions significantly improved the oxygen uptake capacity of stroke patients[MD=2.10,95％CI(1.57,2.63),P＜0.000 01].The optimal exercise regimen for improving oxygen uptake capacity was high-intensity interval training,conducted 5-6 times per week,with each session lasting 41-60 minutes,for a duration of more than 12 weeks.(3)Exercise interventions also significantly enhanced the aerobic endurance of stroke patients[MD=38.00,95％CI(29.55,46.45),P＜0.000 01].The optimal regimen for improving aerobic endurance was high-intensity interval training,conducted 2-3 times per week,with each session lasting 41-60 minutes,for a duration of more than 12 weeks. CONCLUSION:Exercise interventions can significantly improve the cardiopulmonary function of stroke patients,with high-intensity interval training being the most promising exercise modality.Therefore,the optimal exercise regimen for improving cardiopulmonary function in stroke patients is to conduct high-intensity interval training sessions lasting 41-60 minutes,starting with an intervention frequency of twice a week,gradually increasing the frequency based on tolerance,and continuing the intervention for more than 12 weeks.Future research should focus on collecting more high-quality,multi-faceted clinical studies and evidence to validate these conclusions,particularly in exploring the optimal exercise-to-rest ratio of high-intensity interval training for improving cardiopulmonary function in stroke patients.