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SYSTEMATIC REVIEW article
Front. Cardiovasc. Med.
Sec. Cardioneurology
Volume 12 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fcvm.2025.1457899
Current Exercise-based Rehabilitation Impacts on Poststroke Exercise Capacity, Blood Pressure, and Lipid Control: A Meta-analysis
Provisionally accepted
Md. Moneruzzaman 1,2,3,4
Zhiqing Tang 1
Li Xiaohe 4
Wei-Zhen Sun 4
Kellina Maduray 5
Mei-Ling Luo 4 Manzur Kader 6
Yonghui Wang 4
Hao Zhang 1,2,3*- 1 School of Rehabilitation, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- 2 Beijing Boai Hospital, China Rehabilitation Research Center, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- 3 Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
- 4 Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Ji'nan, Shandong Province, China
- 5 Department of Cardiology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong Province, China
- 6 Department of Medicine, Solna, Karolinska Institutet (KI), Solna, Stockholm, Sweden
Objectives: This systematic review aimed to evaluate the impact of poststroke exercise-based rehabilitation programs on blood pressure, lipid profile, and exercise capacity. Methods: Through a systemic search of literature from inception to 2024 using five databases, we analyzed data on the mean difference (MD) using a meta-analysis method to estimate effectiveness. Results: Thirty-seven randomized control trials encompassing various exercises such as aerobic, resistance, stretching, exergaming, robot-assisted training, and communitybased training. Significant improvement was illustrated at discharge in systolic (MD 2.76mmHg; 95% confidence interval [CI] -1.58-3.92; P<0.05) and diastolic (MD 1.28mmHg; 95% CI 0.54-2.12, P<0.05) blood pressure, peak oxygen volume (MD -0.29 mL/kg/min; 95% CI -0.53-0.05, P<0.05). We also observed significant improvement at discharge in high-density lipoprotein only after resistance exercise from two articles and low-density lipoprotein only in the intervention groups compared to the control groups from ten articles. Conclusion: Overall, current exercise-based rehabilitation programs significantly improve blood pressure and exercise capacity in patients with stroke at discharge. However, lipoprotein changes remained inconclusive. Although ameliorative changes were noted in most variables, more research is needed to determine optimum exercise intensity, type combination, and health education to reduce post-stroke complications and mortality.
Keywords: Stroke, Exercise, Blood Pressure, lipid profile, neuro-cardiology
Received: 01 Jul 2024; Accepted: 24 Feb 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Moneruzzaman, Tang, Xiaohe, Sun, Maduray, Luo, Kader, Wang and Zhang. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Hao Zhang, School of Rehabilitation, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
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