Effect of Aerobic Exercise on Cardiopulmonary Responses and Predictors of Change in Individuals With Parkinson's Disease

Objective: To determine the effect of aerobic exercise on maximal and submaximal cardiopulmonary responses and predictors of change in individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD). Design: Single-center, parallel-group, rater-blind study. Setting: Research laboratory. Participants: Individuals with mild to moderate PD (N=100). Intervention: Participants were enrolled in a trial evaluating the effect of cycling on PD and randomized to either voluntary exercise (VE), forced exercise (FE), or a no exercise control group. The exercise groups were time and intensity matched and exercised 3x/wk for 8 weeks on a stationary cycle. Main Outcome Measures: Cardiopulmonary responses were collected via gas analysis during a maximal graded exercise test at baseline and post intervention. Results: Exercise attendance was 97% and 93% for the FE and VE group, respectively. Average exercise heart rate reserve was 67%+/- 11% for FE and 70%perpendicular to 0% forVE. No significant differencewas present for change in peak oxygen consumption (VO(2)peak) post intervention, even though the FEgroup had a 5% increase in VO(2)peak. Both the FE and VE groups had significantly higher percentage oxygen consumption per unit time ((V)over dot O-2) at ventilator threshold (VT) than the control group compared with baseline values (P = .04). Mean (V)over dotO(2) at VTwas 5% (95% CI, 0.1%-11%) higher in the FE group (P=.04) and 7% (2%, 12%) higher in VE group compared with controls. A stepwise linear regression model revealed that lower age, higher exercise cadence, and lower baseline VO(2)peak were most predictive of improved VO(2)peak. The overall model was found to be significant (P<.01). Conclusions: Peak and submaximal cardiopulmonary function may improve after aerobic exercise in individuals with PD. Lower age, higher exercise cadence, and lower baseline VO(2)peak were most predictive of improved VO(2)peak in this exercise cohort. The improvements observed in aerobic capacity were gained after a relatively short aerobic cycling intervention. (C) 2021 by the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine