Outcomes of interest included cardiac performance, exercise capacity and HRQL.Publication bias was assessed by visual examination of the funnel plots and by using Egger's asymmetry test 32.When significant heterogeneity between individual effect sizes was found, a random effect model was applied 31 and a sensitivity analysis was applied in order to investigate the impact of (1) methodological quality and (2) type of intervention (i.e., frequency, duration and intensity) on calculated pooled effect size.Heterogeneity was assessed and quantified using methodology and criteria as described by Higgins et al. (calculating I2) 30.