Muscle wasting after coronary artery bypass graft surgery: impact on post-operative clinical status and effect of exercise-based rehabilitation

<b>Background:</b> Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery is known to induce significant muscle wasting. It remains to be investigated whether muscle wasting after CABG surgery relates to a worse clinical status at entry of rehabilitation and exercise-based rehabilitation remediates such muscle wasting. <b>Design:</b> Prospective observational study. <b>Methods:</b> In 21 males, changes in lean tissue mass (LTM) after CABG surgery were assessed and during a 12-week endurance exercise-based rehabilitation intervention. Changes in blood parameters and cardiopulmonary exercise capacity were assessed, and relations with changes in LTM were analysed. <b>Results:</b> LTM decreased by −1.9 ± 2.5 kg (<i>p</i> r = 0.58–0.61, <i>p</i> p <b>Conclusion:</b> In males, CABG-induced LTM reduction was associated with a worse aerobic exercise tolerance at entry of rehabilitation, but this LTM reduction was fully remediated by endurance exercise-based rehabilitation.