Table 2.
Characteristics of the Pact-Paces-Heart study per study group at the time of study visit
| Control | Moderate-to high-intensity ET | Low-intensity ET | |
| N=72 | N=80 | N=29 | |
| Age, years | 58.5±7.5 | 59.1±7.2 | 59.5±10.2 |
| Original study | |||
| PACT, % | 40 (55.6) | 46 (57.5) | 0 (0) |
| PACES, % | 32 (44.4) | 34 (42.5) | 29 (100) |
| Follow-up time, years | 8.6±1.1 | 8.4±1.2 | 8.9±0.9 |
| Menopausal status, % | |||
| Premenopausal | 4 (5.6) | 6 (7.5) | 2 (6.9) |
| Postmenopausal | 67 (93.0) | 73 (91.3) | 27 (93.1) |
| Unknown | 1 (1.4) | 1 (1.2) | 0 (0.0) |
| Receptor status | |||
| Triple-negative | 9 (12.5) | 16 (20.0) | 4 (13.8) |
| ER/PR+, HER2+ | 10 (13.9) | 13 (16.2) | 6 (20.7) |
| ER/PR-, HER2+ | 3 (4.2) | 8 (10.0) | 1 (3.4) |
| ER/PR+, HER2- | 50 (69.4) | 43 (53.8) | 18 (62.1) |
| Radiotherapy (RT), % | |||
| No RT | 18 (25.0) | 20 (25.0) | 9 (31.0) |
| Left-sided | 27 (37.5) | 33 (41.2) | 12 (41.4) |
| Right-sided | 27 (37.5) | 27 (33.8) | 8 (27.6) |
| Anthracyclines, %* | |||
| No anthracyclines | 0 (0) | 1 (1.3) | 0 (0) |
| Doxorubicin | 41 (56.9) | 39 (48.8) | 22 (75.9) |
| Epirubicin | 30 (41.7) | 39 (48.8) | 6 (20.7) |
| Unknown | 2 (2.8) | 0 (0) | 1 (3.4) |
| Cumul. dox. (equi.) dose, mg/m† | 240 (210–300) | 237 (210–300) | 293 (241–352) |
| Trastuzumab, % | 8 (11.1) | 13 (16.2) | 6 (20.7) |
| Medication use, % | |||
| Cardiovascular | 12 (16.7) | 18 (22.5) | 6 (20.7) |
| Anti-diabetic | 3 (4.2) | 1 (1.2) | 1 (3.4) |
| Statins | 6 (8.3) | 5 (6.2) | 3 (10.3) |
| Hormonal replacement | 16 (22.2) | 8 (10.0) | 4 (13.8) |
| Others | 31 (43.1) | 23 (28.7) | 4 (13.8) |
| Any comorbidity, % | 31 (43.1) | 28 (35.0) | 8 (27.6) |
| Cardiovascular risk factors, %‡ | |||
| Hypertension | 17 (23.6) | 25 (31.2) | 7 (24.1) |
| Hypercholesterolaemia | 19 (26.4) | 34 (42.5) | 8 (27.6) |
| Diabetes mellitus | 8 (11.1) | 2 (2.5) | 2 (6.9) |
| Obesity | 10 (13.9) | 14 (17.7) | 2 (6.9) |
| Smoking, current | 3 (4.2) | 2 (2.5) | 1 (3.4) |
| Cardiac comorbidities, %§ | |||
| Arrhythmias | 5 (6.9) | 3 (3.8) | 0 (0.0) |
| Ischaemic heart disease | 2 (2.8) | 2 (2.5) | 3 (10.3) |
| Impaired EF/heart failure | 1 (1.4) | 4 (5.0) | 0 (0.0) |
| Other | 1 (1.4) | 1 (1.2) | 0 (0.0) |
| None | 63 (87.5) | 70 (87.4) | 26 (89.7) |
| Physical activity before diagnosis¶ | |||
| PACT, min/week | 180.0 (60–365) | 180.0 (110–270) | NA |
| PACES, sum score | 64 (41–107) | 80 (54–121) | 79 (46–148) |
| Unknown | 2 (2.8) | 1 (1.2) | 1 (3.4) |
Presented as mean±SD, median (IQR) or number (percentages).
*Some patients have received both doxorubicin and epirubicin.
†Calculated using Doxorubicin: Epirubicin ratio=1:0.7.
‡Cardiovascular risk factors are defined as follows: hypertension=having a blood pressure higher than 140 mm Hg (systolic) and 90 mm Hg (diastolic) or being treated with antihypertensive medication. Hypercholesterolaemia=having total cholesterol ≥6.5 mmol/L and LDL≥3.5 mmol/L or being treated with lipid-lowering drugs. Diabetes mellitus=HbA1 c >42 mmol/L, or being treated with glucose-lowering medication. Obesity=having a BMI>30 kg/m2 Smoking=current smoker.
§Only those requiring treatment. Four participants (in the control arm) already had documented cardiac comorbidities (arrhythmias) at baseline.
¶The original PACT and PACES study used different questionnaires to assess physical activity before diagnosis; the SQUASH and PASE, respectively. The SQUASH score indicates minutes per week of moderate-to high-intensity leisure and sports physical activity, defined as any activity corresponding with an metabolic equivalent task value of 4 and higher. The PASE score combines information on occupation, leisure and household activities and ranges from 0 to 793, where higher scores correspond with greater physical activity.
AC, anthracyclines; BMI, body mass index; cumul., cumulative; dox, doxorubicin; EF, ejection fraction; equi, equivalent; ET, exercise training; NA, not available; PACES, Physical Exercise during Adjuvant Chemotherapy Effectiveness Study; PACT, Physical Activity during Cancer Treatment; SQUASH, Short Questionnaire to Assess Health-Enhancing Physical Activity.