Volume 32, Nº 4, July and August 2019
DOI: http://www.dx.doi.org/10.5935/2359-4802.20190047
REVIEW ARTICLE
Effects of Exercise Training on Cardiovascular and Autonomic Parameters in Stroke Survivors: A Systematic Review
Bruno Bavaresco Gambassi
Fabiano de Jesus Furtado Almeida
Ana Eugênia Araújo Furtado Almeida
João Alberto Ribeiro
Tânia Maria Gaspar Novais
Paulo Adriano Schwingel
Ciro Oliveira Queiroz
Clarcson Plácido Conceição dos Santos
Bruno Rodrigues
Abstract
Negative changes in cardiovascular and autonomic variables in stroke survivors have encouraged the global scientific community to focus on investigating therapeutic strategies to mitigate stroke damage. The objective of the present study was to describe the effects of exercise training on cardiovascular and autonomic variables in stroke survivors. We used the PICO (population, intervention, control/comparison, and outcome variables) model for the search of articles in PubMed and Physiotherapy Evidence Databases from 2009 to December 2018. The following data were also recorded: type of study, author, year of publication, participants (time after stroke, sample size, and age) and benefits of exercise training. A total of 544 articles were initially selected, of which nine peer-reviewed articles met the search criteria. These nine studies enrolled 611 participants (middle-aged or elderly), and pointed to positive effects of training on maximal oxygen uptake, peak aerobic capacity, 6-minute walk test and resting heart rate. However, more well-controlled studies are needed to confirm the benefits of exercise training on cardiovascular and autonomic variables in this population.
Keywords: Exercise; Physical Fitness; Cardiovascular System; Autonomic Nervous System; Physiotherapy; Rehabilitation; Stroke; Review.