1. Summary of health‐related quality of life (HRQL) scores at follow‐up.
| Measure of HRQL | Mean (SD) outcome values at follow‐up | P value | Difference between groups | |
| Exercise | Usual Care | |||
| Belardinelli 2001 | ||||
| SF‐36 at 6 months follow‐up: | ||||
| Physical functioning | 78 (19) | 55 (20) | 0.001 | Exercise > Usual care |
| Physical performance | 75 (13) | 65 (14) | 0.01 | Exercise > Usual care |
| Bodily pain | 4 (9) | 22 (10) | 0.001 | Exercise > Usual care |
| General health | 68 (14) | 50 (19) | 0.001 | Exercise > Usual care |
| Vitality | NR | NR | ||
| Social functioning | 66 (10) | 69 (12) | 0.14* | Exercise = Usual care |
| Emotional performance | NR | NR | ||
| Mental health | 65 (12) | 48 (15) | 0.01 | Exercise > Usual care |
| SF‐36 at 12 months follow‐up: | ||||
| Physical functioning | 82 (18) | 54 (20) | 0.001 | Exercise > Usual care |
| Physical performance | 76 (9) | 58 (14) | 0.01 | Exercise > Usual care |
| Bodily pain | 4 (9) | 32 (12) | 0.001 | Exercise > Usual care |
| General health | 70 (14) | 50 (18) | 0.001 | Exercise > Usual care |
| Vitality | NR | NR | ||
| Social functioning | 68 (11) | 68 (12) | 1.00* | Exercise = Usual care |
| Emotional performance | NR | NR | ||
| Mental health | 70 (14) | 45 (15) | 0.001 | Exercise > Usual care |
| Bell 1998 | ||||
| Nottingham health profile at 10.5 months follow‐up: | ||||
| Energy | 17.6 (27.1) | 18.3 (29.8) | 0.87** | Exercise = Usual care |
| Pain | 2.8 (8.8) | 4.82 (11.9) | < 0.05 | Exercise > Usual care |
| Emotional reactions | 6.4 (17.0) | 12.2 (19.9) | < 0.001 | Exercise > Usual care |
| Sleep | 7.5 (18.4) | 20.5 (27.8) | < 0.001 | Exercise > Usual care |
| Social isolation | 2.3 (10.6) | 4.0 (13.3) | 0.37* | Exercise = Usual care |
| Physical mobility | 8.4 (11.1) | 8.9 (14.5) | 0.82** | Exercise = Usual care |
| Bettencourt 2005 | ||||
| SF‐36 at 1 year follow‐up: | ||||
| Physical functioning | 70 | 62 | NS* | Exercise = Usual care |
| Physical performance | 66 | 57 | NS* | Exercise = Usual care |
| Bodily pain | 73 | 65 | NS* | Exercise = Usual care |
| General health | 57 | 46 | < 0.02 | Exercise > Usual care |
| Vitality | 62 | 47 | < 0.02 | Exercise > Usual care |
| Social functioning | 73 | 66 | NS* | Exercise = Usual care |
| Emotional performance | 65 | 58 | NS* | Exercise = Usual care |
| Mental health | 87 | 75 | NS* | Exercise = Usual care |
| Mental component | 71 | 57 | 0.02 | Exercise > Usual care |
| Physical component | 63 | 57 | NS* | Exercise = Usual care |
| Briffa 2005 | ||||
| SF‐36 at 6 months follow‐up: | ||||
| Δ (95% CI) | Δ (95% CI) | |||
| Physical functioning | 7.1 (1 to 13) | 15.9 (−8 to 23) | NS* | Exercise = Usual care |
| Physical performance | 75 (0 to 100) | 75 ( 0 to 100 ) | NS* | Exercise = Usual care |
| Bodily pain | 19.2 (11 to 27) | 26.6 (18 to 35 ) | NS* | Exercise = Usual care |
| General health | − 0.6 (‐5 to 4) | 0.1 (−6 to 6 ) | NS* | Exercise = Usual care |
| Vitality | 3.7 (‐2 to 9) | 7.1 (1 to 13 ) | NS* | Exercise = Usual care |
| Social functioning | 14.1 (7 to 21) | 19.6 (10 to 29 ) | NS* | Exercise = Usual care |
| Emotional performance | 33.3 (33 to 100) | 33.3 (0 to 100 ) | NS* | Exercise = Usual care |
| Mental health | 1.4 (‐3 to 5) | 0.5 (−4 to 5) | NS* | Exercise = Usual care |
| SF‐36 at 1 year follow‐up: | ||||
| Δ (95% CI) | Δ (95% CI) | |||
| Physical functioning | 6.8 (−1 to 14 ) | 17.6 (10 to 25) | 0.04 | Exercise > Usual care |
| Physical performance | 75 (12 to 30 ) | 100 (0 to 100) | NS* | Exercise = Usual care |
| Bodily pain | 20.9 (−2 to 7) | 30.2 (23 to 37) | NS* | Exercise = Usual care |
| General health | 2.2 (−2 to 7) | 2.7 (−3 to 5) | NS* | Exercise = Usual care |
| Vitality | 6.9 (1 to 12) | 11.9 (6 to 18) | NS* | Exercise = Usual care |
| Social functioning | 16.4 (9 to 23 ) | 23.6 (14 to 33) | NS* | Exercise = Usual care |
| Emotional performance | 33.3 (33 to 100 ) | 33.3 (33 to 100) | NS* | Exercise = Usual care |
| Mental health | 3.9 (0 to 8) | 3.6 (−1 to 9) | NS* | Exercise = Usual care |
| Engblom 1992 | ||||
| Nottingham health profile at 5 years follow‐up: | ||||
| Energy | 18 | 25 | 0.08 | Exercise = Usual care |
| Pain | 12 | 18 | 0.07 | Exercise = Usual care |
| Emotional reactions | 14 | 21 | 0.27 | Exercise = Usual care |
| Sleep | 24 | 29 | 0.42 | Exercise = Usual care |
| Social isolation | 7 | 9 | 0.42 | Exercise = Usual care |
| Physical mobility | 6 | 14 | 0.005 | Exercise > Usual care |
| Heller 1993 | ||||
| QLMI at 6 months follow‐up: | ||||
| Emotional | 5.4 (1.1) | 5.2 (1.2) | 0.04 | Exercise > Usual care |
| Physical | 5.4 (1.2) | 5.2 (1.3) | 0.17* | Exercise = Usual care |
| Social | 5.9 (1.1) | 5.8 (1.1) | 0.35* | Exercise = Usual care |
| Hofman‐Bang 1999 | ||||
| AP‐QLQ at 12 months follow‐up: | ||||
| Physical activity | 4.9 | 4.3 | <0.05 | Exercise > Usual care |
| Somatic symptoms | NR | NR | NS | Exercise = Usual care |
| Emotional distress | NR | NR | NS | Exercise = Usual care |
| Life satisfaction | NR | NR | NS | Exercise = Usual care |
| Houle 2012 | ||||
| Quality of Life Index‐cardiac version III at 6 months follow‐up: | ||||
| Health and functional score | 26 (5.1) | 24.5 (5.3) | 0.048 | Exercise > Usual care |
| Psychological/spiritual score | 25.6 (5.8) | 25.5 (3.8) | 0.383 | Exercise = Usual care |
| Social and economic score | 25.7 (3.8) | 25.4 (4.7) | 0.392 | Exercise = Usual care |
| Family score | 28.1 (2.5) | 26.7 (4.3) | 0.048 | Exercise > Usual care |
| Overall | 26.2 (4.3) | 25.8 (4.1) | 0.057 | Exercise = Usual care |
| Quality of Life Index‐cardiac version III at 12 months follow‐up: | ||||
| Health and functional score | 27.8 (2.0) | 25.3 (4.6) | 0.036 | Exercise > Usual care |
| Psychological/spiritual score | 27.4 (2.5) | 26.2 (4.0) | 0.336 | Exercise = Usual care |
| Social and economic score | 27.2 (3.0) | 25.9 (5.2) | 0.638 | Exercise = Usual care |
| Family score | 28 (2.6) | 26.8 (5.0) | 0.092 | Exercise = Usual care |
| Overall | 27.7 (2.1) | 25.7 (4.2) | 0.048 | Exercise > Usual care |
| Maddison 2014 | ||||
| EQ‐5D at 24 weeks follow‐up: | ||||
| 0.86 | 0.83 | 0.23 | Exercise = Usual care | |
| SF‐36 at 24 weeks follow‐up: | ||||
| Physical functioning | 52.9 | 51.9 | 0.20 | Exercise = Usual care |
| Role physical | 52.6 | 50.8 | 0.08 | Exercise = Usual care |
| Bodily pain | 52.4 | 51.9 | 0.71 | Exercise = Usual care |
| General health | 55.3 | 53.2 | 0.03 | Exercise > Usual care |
| Vitality | 55.7 | 55.9 | 0.79 | Exercise = Usual care |
| Social Functioning | 53.3 | 52.4 | 0.42 | Exercise = Usual care |
| Role emotional | 51.4 | 51.6 | 0.81 | Exercise = Usual care |
| Mental health | 54.6 | 54.0 | 0.61 | Exercise = Usual care |
| Mutwalli 2012 | ||||
| SF‐36 Health status score at 6 months follow‐up: | ||||
| 90.14 (4.83) | 60.55 (16.21) | 0.000 | Exercise > Usual care | |
| Oerkild 2012 | ||||
| SF‐36 at 12 months follow‐up: | ||||
| Δ (95% CI) | Δ (95% CI) | |||
| SF 12 PCS | ‐1.1 (‐5.3 to 3.1) | ‐1.4 (‐5.2 to 2.3) | NS* | Exercise = Usual care |
| SF 12 MCS | ‐1.4 (‐6.1 to 3.3) | ‐0.3 (‐4.6 to 4.0) | NS* | Exercise = Usual care |
| Oldridge 1991 | ||||
| QLMI at 4 months follow‐up: | ||||
| Limitations | 54 | 54 | NS | Exercise = Usual care |
| Emotions | 103 | 101 | NS | Exercise = Usual care |
| QLMI at 8 months follow‐up: | ||||
| Limitations | 54 | 54 | NS | Exercise = Usual care |
| Emotions | 103 | 103 | NS | Exercise = Usual care |
| QLMI at 12 months follow‐up: | ||||
| Limitations | 54 | 55 | NS | Exercise = Usual care |
| Emotions | 105 | 102 | NS | Exercise = Usual care |
| Reid 2012 | ||||
| MacNew at 12 months follow‐up: | ||||
| Global score | 5.8 (0.6) | 5.6 (0.8) | 0.112 | Exercise = Usual care |
| Emotional subscale | 5.6 (0.6) | 5.4 (0.7) | 0.038 | Exercise > Usual care |
| Social subscale | 6.3 (0.8) | 6.0 (1.0) | 0.162 | Exercise = Usual care |
| Physical subscale | 6.0 (0.8) | 5.8 (1.0) | 0.031 | Exercise > Usual care |
| Sandstrom 2005 | ||||
| Time Trade Off (TTO) at 12 months follow‐up: | ||||
| 0.86 (0.23) | 0.85 (0.21) | NS* | Exercise = Usual care | |
| EuroQol Part one at 12 months follow‐up: | ||||
| 0.87 (0.15) | 0.86 (0.16) | NS* | Exercise = Usual care | |
| EuroQol Part two at 12 months follow‐up: | ||||
| 7.6 (1.46) | 7.43 (1.46) | NS* | Exercise = Usual care | |
| Stahle 1999 | ||||
| Karolinska Questionnaire at 12 months follow‐up: | ||||
| Chest pain | 0.6 (1.2) | 0.4 (1.3) | NS | Exercise = Usual care |
| Shortness of breath | 0.4 (1.1) | 0.2 (1.0) | NS | Exercise = Usual care |
| Dizziness | ‐0.1 (1.1) | 0.2 (0.9) | NS | Exercise = Usual care |
| Palpitation | ‐0.1 (1.0) | 0.1 (0.9) | NS | Exercise = Usual care |
| Cognitive ability | ‐0.1 (0.6) | 0.0 (0.7) | NS | Exercise = Usual care |
| Alertness | 0.0 (0.9) | 0.1 (0.8) | NS | Exercise = Usual care |
| Quality of sleep | 0.0 (0.5) | 0.1 (0.5) | NS | Exercise = Usual care |
| Physical ability | 0.2 (0.7) | 0.1 (0.4) | NS | Exercise = Usual care |
| Daily activity | 0.3 (0.5) | 0.1 (0.5) | NS | Exercise = Usual care |
| Depression | 0.1 (0.3) | 0.1 (0.2) | NS | Exercise = Usual care |
| Self perceived health | 0.5 (1.3) | 0.3 (1.0) | NS | Exercise = Usual care |
| "Ladder of Life" present | 1.2 (1.2) | 0.9 (1.8) | NS | Exercise = Usual care |
| "Ladder of Life" future | 0.8 (2.7) | 0.4 (2.3) | NS | Exercise = Usual care |
| Fitness | 0.6 (1.4) | 0.4 (1.0) | NS | Exercise = Usual care |
| Physical ability | 0.7 (1.0) | 0.4 (1.1) | NS | Exercise = Usual care |
| Toobert 2000 | ||||
| SF‐36 at 24 months follow‐up: | ||||
| Physical functioning | NR | NR | NS | Exercise = Usual care |
| Physical performance | NR | NR | NS | Exercise = Usual care |
| Bodily pain | NR | NR | NS | Exercise = Usual care |
| General health | NR | NR | <0.05 | Exercise > Usual care |
| Vitality | NR | NR | NS | Exercise = Usual care |
| Social functioning | NR | NR | <0.05 | Exercise > Usual care |
| Emotional performance | NR | NR | NS | Exercise = Usual care |
| Mental health | NR | NR | NS | Exercise = Usual care |
| Wang 2012 | ||||
| SF‐36 at 6 months follow‐up: | ||||
| Physical functioning | 80.8 (13.7) | 73.2 (13.0) | <0.001 | Exercise > Usual care |
| Physical performance | 68.2 (17.3) | 56.2 (46.8) | 0.015 | Exercise > Usual care |
| Bodily pain | 68.2 (17.3) | 63.5 (14.6) | 0.012 | Exercise > Usual care |
| General health | 57.4 (20.3) | 49.0 (16.2) | 0.017 | Exercise > Usual care |
| Vitality | 66.3 (17.3) | 56.4 (21.7) | 0.002 | Exercise > Usual care |
| Social functioning | 71.3 (21.4) | 65.8 (18.0) | 0.031 | Exercise > Usual care |
| Emotional performance | 80.8 (37.9) | 75.9 (39.7) | 0.12 | Exercise = Usual care |
| Mental health | 73.5 (17.1) | 65.4 (20.7) | 0.011 | Exercise > Usual care |
| MIDAS at 6 months | ||||
| Physical Activity | 37.7 (11.2) | 42.6 (12.3) | <0.001 | Exercise > Usual care |
| Insecurity | 28.7 (9.7) | 33.4 (13.8) | <0.001 | Exercise > Usual care |
| Emotional reaction | 30.4 (12.8) | 34.8 (14.4) | 0.008 | Exercise > Usual care |
| Dependency | 27.6 (9.4) | 31.8 (16.6) | 0.001 | Exercise > Usual care |
| Diet | 36.8 (15.4) | 43.6 (20.7) | 0.40 | Exercise = Usual care |
| Concerns over meds | 29.4 (12.6) | 37.7 (18.0) | <0.001 | Exercise > Usual care |
| Side Effects | 28.2 (11.1) | 30.8 (14.3) | 0.30 | Exercise > Usual care |
| West 2012 | ||||
| SF‐36 at 12 months follow‐up: | ||||
| Physical function | 65 (29) | 64 (30) | NS* | Exercise = Usual care |
| Role physical | 69 (31) | 67 (33) | NS* | Exercise = Usual care |
| Role emotional | 85 (23) | 85 (25) | NS* | Exercise = Usual care |
| Social function | 81 (28) | 79 (29) | NS* | Exercise = Usual care |
| Mental health | 76 (13) | 76 (13) | NS* | Exercise = Usual care |
| Energy /vitality | 65 (24) | 65 (24) | NS* | Exercise = Usual care |
| Pain | 69 (28) | 68 (29) | NS* | Exercise = Usual care |
| Health Perception | 58 (25) | 57 (25) | NS* | Exercise = Usual care |
| Yu 2003 | ||||
| SF‐36 at 8 months follow‐up: | ||||
| Physical functioning | 88 (12) | 82 (17) | 0.03* | Exercise > Usual care |
| Physical performance | 75 (33) | 66 (35) | 0.18* | Exercise = Usual care |
| Bodily pain | 80 (25) | 80 (25) | 1.00* | Exercise = Usual care |
| General health | 64 (26) | 60 (28) | 0.45* | Exercise = Usual care |
| Vitality | 79 (18) | 65 (17) | 0.0001 | Exercise > Usual care |
| Social functioning | 89 (27) | 82 (28) | 0.15 | Exercise = Usual care |
| Emotional performance | 93 (18) | 83 (35) | 0.05 | Exercise = Usual care |
| Mental health | 84 (16) | 80 (15) | 0.2 | Exercise = Usual care |
| SF‐36 at 24 months follow‐up: | ||||
| Physical functioning | 88 (13) | 87 (9) | 0.67* | Exercise = Usual care |
| Physical performance | 80 (32) | 79 (30) | 0.87* | Exercise = Usual care |
| Bodily pain | 81 (21) | 85 (20) | 0.33* | Exercise = Usual care |
| General health | 64 (20) | 61 (18) | 0.43* | Exercise = Usual care |
| Vitality | 73 (21) | 73 (17) | 1.00* | Exercise = Usual care |
| Social functioning | 79 (30) | 90 (18) | 0.04* | Exercise > Usual care |
| Emotional performance | 89 (25) | 93 (25) | 0.42* | Exercise = Usual care |
| Mental health | 85 (14) | 85 (12) | 1.00* | Exercise = Usual care |
| Zwisler 2008 | ||||
| SF‐36 at 12 months follow‐up: | ||||
| Physical Component Score | 45.2 (9.8) | 46.4 (9.8) | 0.39* | Exercise = Usual care |
| Mental Component Score | 50.6 (10.8) | 48.4 (11.5) | 0.16* | Exercise = Usual care |
Short Form‐36 (SF‐36); QLMI=Quality of Life After Myocardial Infarction questionnaire; AP‐QLQ=Angina Pectoris‐Quality of Life questionnaire; NR=not reported; NS=not significant
* Calculated by authors of this report based on independent two group t test.
** Adjusted for baseline difference between groups.
Exercise = Usual care: no statistically significant difference (P > 0.05) between exercise and usual care groups at follow up
Exercise > Usual care: statistically significant difference (P < 0.05) between exercise and usual care groups at follow up
NS*: The authors of this review have inferred a P value of > 0.05 based either on the 95% CI, or from narrative in the paper, rather than from directly observing the P‐value.