TITLE:
Impact of Cardiovascular Rehabilitation on Functional Capacity Following Cardiac Surgery: A Cohort Study at Yaoundé General Hospital, Cameroon
AUTHORS:
Tsague Kengni Hermann Nestor, Siddikatou Djibrilla, Ngo Yon Laurence Carole, Panchut Nsangou Nafissatou, Kingue Soken Wright Jordan, Menoue Djimafo Christelle, Tchuinkam Tchoubat Sylvanie, Tsafack Soefack Germaine Christelle, Ndom Ebongue Marie Solange, Mandeng Ma Linwa Edgar, Elysée Claude Bika Léle, Menanga Alain Patrick, Kamdem Félicité
KEYWORDS:
Cardiovascular Rehabilitation, Cardiac Surgery, Functional Capacity, Cameroon
JOURNAL NAME:
World Journal of Cardiovascular Surgery,
Vol.16 No.4,
April
8,
2026
ABSTRACT: Background: Cardiovascular rehabilitation (CR) is associated with improvements in functional capacity post-cardiac surgery, but its impact in low-resource settings like Cameroon remains understudied. This study evaluated the pre-post associations of CR with functional capacity in patients following cardiac surgery. Methods: A single-group cohort study with retrospective and prospective data collection was conducted at the Cardiovascular and Metabolic Rehabilitation Unit (CMRU) of Yaoundé General Hospital (YGH) from February 2024 to June 2025. It included adults who completed ≥ 10 CR sessions post-cardiac surgery. Retrospective data (February-November 2024) were extracted from medical records, while prospective data (December 2024-June 2025) were collected at the start and end of CR. Functional capacity and haemodynamic outcomes were assessed at CR completion; complications were monitored during a separate 4-week follow-up period after CR completion. Sociodemographic, clinical, and therapeutic profiles were described. Functional capacity parameters i.e. maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max), six-minute walk test (6MWT), Duke Activity Status Index (DASI), metabolic equivalents [METs] were compared pre- and post-CR using paired t-tests and McNemar’s tests. Determinants of changes in functional capacity were identified using linear regression (p Results: Participation in CR was associated with significant pre-post improvements in objective VO2max from 17.5 ± 8.2 to 30.0 ± 9.1 mL/kg/min (+12.5 mL/kg/min, +71.4%, p β = –8.28, p β = 2.77, p = 0.023). Conclusion: Participation in CR was associated with significant improvements in functional capacity in patients’ post-cardiac surgery in a low-resource setting like Cameroon. Improving CR accessibility and tailoring programmes for patients with non-modifiable risk factors could optimise outcomes.