Effects of Exergame in Patients at High Cardiovascular Risk.

Background: Exergaming is thought to have a similar effect on cardiovascular (CV) responses as aerobic fitness activities. The aim of this study was to compare the cardiovascular effects of exergaming and traditional treadmill exercises in patients with high CV risk. Methods: Sixty-four patients with high CV risk were randomized among exergame (EG: n = 22), treadmill (TM: n = 22), and control (n=20) groups. The EG group was engaged in the running-based exergame using Exer Heart and the TM group walked or jogged on a treadmill. Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD), endothelial progenitor cell numbers (EPCs), epicardial fat thickness (EFT), metabolic parameters and anthropometric parameters were measured in patients before and 3 months after the training.