Effects of a 12-Week Supervised Aerobic Exercise Program on Heart Rate and Peripheral Oxygen Saturation in Breast Cancer Survivors: A Randomized Controlled Trial Aerobic exercise HR/SpO2
Abstract
Background: Breast cancer survivors often experience cardiovascular and respiratory impairments due to treatment. This study evaluated the effects of a 12-week supervised aerobic exercise program on heart rate (HR) and peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO₂) in female breast cancer survivors.
Methods: In a randomized controlled trial, 52 participants were allocated to either a 12-week supervised, moderate-intensity aerobic exercise group (n=27) or a usual care control group (n=25). Sessions were held thrice weekly in a community sports facility under professional supervision. HR and SpO₂ were recorded before and after each session at baseline, week 6, and week 12. Repeated-measures ANOVA and paired t-tests were used for statistical analysis (p<0.05). The study was ethically approved and registered with the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials.
Results: All participants completed the trial. By week 12, the intervention group demonstrated a significant increase in HR during exercise (from 77.7 ± 2.9 bpm pre-exercise to 127.3 ± 10.2 bpm post-exercise, p = 0.0001), while no significant change occurred in the control group (p = 0.21). Post-exercise SpO₂ was significantly higher in the intervention group compared to controls (97.7 ± 0.4% vs. 97.4 ± 0.4%, p = 0.008). Within-group analyses showed significant improvements from baseline in both HR and SpO₂ at week 12 (p < 0.001). High adherence (92.6%) and absence of adverse events confirmed the intervention’s safety.
Conclusion: A 12-week supervised aerobic exercise program significantly improved cardiovascular and respiratory outcomes in breast cancer survivors, underscoring the value of structured exercise interventions in this population.
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