Table 3. Changes in functional capacity evaluated by cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) in patients in each group at baseline and at the end of the study (12 weeks).

Results are expressed as mean±standard error of the mean or frequencies (%).

	Exercise group		Relaxation group
	Baseline (n = 14)	12 weeks (n = 14)	Baseline (n = 8)	12 weeksa (n = 5)
Total effort time (min)	8.5±0.6	10.5±0.6d	9.3±1.0	11.0±1.3
VATb time (min)	6.6±0.5	8.1±0.3e	5.1±1.2	7.5±1.7
Maximal heart rate (bpm)	129.1±5.0	137.9±3.5f	123.3±7.0	110.2±6.5
VO2peakc/kg weight (ml/kg/min)	21.4±0.8	23.0±1.3	23.5±2.9	25.0±3.2
Functional limitation evaluated by VO2peak	10/14 (71.4%)	6/14 (42.8%)	5/8 (62.5%)	3/5 (60%)

^aOnly 5 patients were evaluated by CPET at 12 weeks.

^bVAT: ventilatory anaerobic threshold.

^cVO_2peak: peak oxygen uptake.

^dp<0.001

^ep = 0.009 vs baseline in the exercise group.

^fp = 0.01 vs baseline in the exercise group, and p = 0.001 vs 12 weeks in the relaxation group.

No other statistically significant differences were observed between groups at baseline or at 12 weeks, or between time points in each group.