Nonlinear, Multicomponent Physical Exercise With Heart Rate Variability-Guided Prescription in Women With Breast Cancer During Treatment: Feasibility and Preliminary Results (ATOPE Study).
Ángela González-Santos, Maria Lopez-Garzon, Rocío Gil-Gutiérrez and 3 others
PMID 37347987WHAT IT FOUND
Heart-rate-guided exercise was feasible and safe for women with breast cancer during treatment.
Retention was 73.68%, slightly below the 75% threshold. While radiotherapy patients improved walking distance, chemotherapy patients lost lower limb strength and gained body fat, suggesting the program needs adjustment for this group.
Key findings
01The program was feasible and safe with no adverse events recorded, though retention (73.68%) fell just short of the 75% threshold.
02Radiotherapy patients significantly improved 6-minute walk test scores (by 4.49%) and physical quality of life (by 4.74%).
03Chemotherapy patients experienced significant reductions in lower limb strength (knee extension and flexion torque) and an increase in percent body fat.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study had a small sample size (n=28 completers), limiting the generalizability of the results. There was no nonintervention control group, so it is unclear if the observed changes were due to the program or natural recovery/treatment effects. Retention was slightly below the pre-defined feasibility threshold of 75%. The study was conducted in a single region, and the physical exercise dose varied greatly between individuals due to the nonlinear nature of the prescription.
Declared interests
Funded by the Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria del Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Fondos Estructurales de la Unión Europea, Spanish Ministry of Education Cultura y Deporte, European Regional Development Fund, University of Granada, and Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness. No commercial conflicts of interest were declared in the text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume this exercise program prevents strength loss in all breast cancer patients. While radiotherapy patients improved, chemotherapy patients in this study lost significant lower limb strength and gained body fat, indicating the current HRV-guided prescription may be insufficient for that specific group.