SYSTEMATIC REVIEW article
Front. Cardiovasc. Med.
Sec. General Cardiovascular Medicine
Effects of High-Intensity Interval Training on Cardiopulmonary Function and Quality of Life in Patients with Myocardial Infarction: A Meta-Analysis
Provisionally accepted
- Department of Neurology, Shaoxing Second Hospital, Shaoxing, China
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Background:High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is increasingly used in cardiac rehabilitation. Its effects on cardiopulmonary function and quality of life in patients with myocardial infarction (MI) require systematic evaluation. Methods:A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Central, and CNKI from inception to April 1, 2025. Randomized controlled trials assessing the effects of HIIT on peak heart rate (HRpeak), peak oxygen uptake (VO₂peak), respiratory exchange ratio (RER), and quality of life (QOL) in post-MI patients were included. Data were synthesized using a random-effects model. Standardized mean differences (SMDs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. Heterogeneity was assessed with the I² statistic, and sensitivity analyses were performed. Results: Nine trials with 508 participants were included. HIIT did not significantly affect HRpeak (SMD = -0.20; 95% CI: -1.10 to 0.70; I² = 62.4%) or VO₂peak (SMD = 0.32; 95% CI: -0.07 to 0.71; I²= 69.1%). RER was significantly reduced in the HIIT group (SMD = -1.26; 95% CI: -1.54 to -0.98; I²= 0%). No significant improvement was observed in QOL (SMD = 0.07; 95% CI: -0.37 to 0.50; I²= 0%). Sensitivity analyses suggested that individual studies contributed to heterogeneity in HRpeak and VO₂peak outcomes. Conclusions: HIIT may influence selected cardiopulmonary indicators in post-MI patients, particularly metabolic efficiency. Its effects on exercise capacity and quality of life remain uncertain. Further research with standardized protocols is needed.
Keywords: High-intensity interval training, Myocardial Infarction, peak oxygen uptake, Respiratory exchange ratio, Quality of Life, Meta-analysis
Received: 15 Jul 2025; Accepted: 29 Nov 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Xu, Shen and Lao. 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: Xiening Xu
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