A total of 51 participants were recruited, 24 of whom were allocated to the experimental group and 27 to the control group. The flow of participants through the study is presented in Figure 1. The baseline characteristics of the participants are Bioactive Compound Library order presented in Table 1 and in the first two columns of Table 2. The predominant causes of heart failure were ischaemic heart disease and idiopathic cardiomyopathy,

with wide diversity of aetiology among the other participants. No adverse events were reported during the study period. Clinically elevated anxiety (≥ 8 points) was found in four subjects (one in the exercise group and three in the control group), whereas an elevated level of depression (≥ 8 points) was noted in seven subjects (three in the exercise group and four in the control group). Most subjects had a low level of disability as assessed by the Groningen Activity Restriction Scale. The mean score was 20 (SD 4, range 18–40), which is consistent with independence in self-care and domestic activities. Exercise program instruction was conducted by a physical therapist with five years of clinical experience. Three cardiopulmonary physical therapists underwent half a day of training in applying the outcome measures. Anxiety scores as assessed by this website Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale

were negatively correlated with the sixminute walk distance as a percentage of predicted (r = −0.309) and were positively correlated with the Groningen scale score (r = 0.341) and the Minnesota questionnaire score (r = 0.753) Bay 11-7085 (all p < 0.05). A similar pattern was noted between the depression scores and the following outcome measurements: the six-minute walk distance as a percentage of predicted distance (r = −0.397), the Groningen scale score (r = 0.431), and the Minnesota questionnaire score (r = 0.357) (all p < 0.05). That is, higher levels of anxiety or depression were moderately related to a higher level of disability and lower functional exercise capacity and quality of life. The exercise group completed home-based

training without any reported adverse events, such as cardiac events or musculoskeletal injuries. Significant interaction of group and time was noted in the six-minute walk distance and the Minnesota questionnaire score, while no interaction effect was noted in the other outcome measurements. Compared with baseline, participants in the experimental group significantly improved their physical capacity (walking 15 m further in six minutes) and their quality of life (scoring 5 points better on the 105-point Minnesota questionnaire), while control participants showed mild deteriorations on these outcomes over the same period. Therefore, the intervention produced significant benefits in walking distance (by 21 m, 95% CI 7 to 36) and quality of life (by 7 points on the 105-point Minnesota score, 95% CI 1 to 12).