Accepted for/Published in: Journal of Medical Internet Research
Date Submitted: Mar 23, 2026
Date Accepted: Jun 8, 2026
Effects of Telerehabilitation with Exercise as the Core Component on Peak Oxygen Uptake and Blood Pressure in Patients with Cardiovascular Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
ABSTRACT
Background:
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains a major global health burden. Telerehabilitation-based exercise interventions have emerged as a promising alternative to conventional cardiac rehabilitation, but their effects on peak oxygen uptake (VO₂ peak), blood pressure, and body mass index (BMI) in patients with CVD remain unclear.
Objective:
This study aimed to evaluate the effects of telerehabilitation-based exercise interventions on peak oxygen uptake (VO₂ peak), blood pressure, and body mass index (BMI) in patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD).
Methods:
Randomized controlled trials investigating telerehabilitation-based exercise interventions in patients with CVD were identified through searches of PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Embase, and MEDLINE. Statistical analyses were performed using Stata 18.0.
Results:
Compared with usual care, telerehabilitation-based exercise interventions significantly improved VO₂ peak (MD = 2.60, 95% CI: 0.81 to 4.38, P = 0.01), reduced systolic blood pressure (MD = -2.45, 95% CI: -4.84 to -0.05, P = 0.05), reduced diastolic blood pressure (MD = -2.15, 95% CI: -3.85 to -0.45, P = 0.01), and lowered BMI (MD = -1.28, 95% CI: -2.25 to -0.31, P = 0.01) in patients with CVD. Subgroup analyses showed that interventions lasting ≤12 weeks and those delivered with human guidance significantly improved VO₂ peak, whereas interventions lasting >12 weeks or those delivered through automated or platform-based feedback did not show statistically significant effects on VO₂ peak.
Conclusions:
Compared with usual care, telerehabilitation-based exercise interventions may improve VO₂ peak, blood pressure, and BMI in patients with CVD. However, given the heterogeneity across studies and the potential for publication bias, these findings should be interpreted with caution. Further high-quality studies are needed to confirm the robustness of these effects and to determine the optimal implementation strategies. Clinical Trial: PROSPERO: 420261342287
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