Koukouvou 2004

Methods	Parallel group RCT
Participants	N Randomised: 26 (exercise 16; control 10) Diagnosis (% of participants): Aetiology: DCM 7%; ischaemic 100% NYHA: Class II 58%; Class III 42% LVEF: < 40% Case mix: 100% as above Age (yr): exercise 52 (SD 9); control 53 (SD 11) Male: 100% White: not reported Inclusion/exclusion criteria Inclusion:aetiology of CHF was either ischaemic heart disease or DCM. Diagnosis of CHF was mainly based on clinical signs (NYHA Class II and III), radiological findings, and echocardiographically determined EF < 40% and shortening fraction < 30% Exclusion: recent MI or unstable angina; aortic stenosis; DM; uncontrolled hypertension; musculoskeletal limitations or other contraindications for participating in an exercise training programme; documented exercise‐induced severe ischaemia or serious arrhythmias or both
Interventions	Exercise:Total duration: 6 months Aerobic/resistance/mix: mix Frequency: 3 or 4 sessions/wk Duration: 60 min/session Intensity: 50‐75% peak VO2 Modality: cycle ergometer, walking or jogging, stair climber and step‐aerobics Plus 'light' resistance exercise (not defined) Setting: supervised exercise training programme at institution Other: none reported
Outcomes	HRQoL (MLWHFQ and Spritzer Quality of Life Index)
Comparison	Not reported
Country and setting	Greece Single centre
Follow‐up	6 months (after randomisation)
Notes
Risk of bias
Bias	Authors' judgement	Support for judgement
Random sequence generation (selection bias)	Unclear risk	Not reported
Allocation concealment (selection bias)	Unclear risk	Not reported
Blinding (performance bias and detection bias) All outcomes	Low risk	"The psychological tests were assessed from all patients in the first week of admission, before randomization to study groups and the end of the study by the same physician, who was not familiar with the patients"
Selective reporting (reporting bias)	Low risk	All outcomes outlined in methods are reported
Intention‐to‐treat analysis?	Low risk	Not stated explicitly but appear to analysed according to initial group allocation
Incomplete outcome data?	Unclear risk	Losses to follow‐up, drop‐outs not reported
Groups balanced at baseline?	Low risk	"The two groups of patients participating in the study were similar as regards their clinical data"
Groups received same intervention?	Unclear risk	Not reported