International Journal of Preventive Medicine (Int J Prev Med)2008-78021232021061324412441ENStudent Research Committee, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Sabzevar University of Medical Sciences, SabzevarDepartment of Nursing, Nursing and Midwifery School, Iranian Research Center on Healthy Aging, Sabzevar University of Medical Sciences, SabzevarDepartment of Medical Surgical Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Nursing and Midwifery Care Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, MashhadDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Student Research Committee, School of Health, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, MashhadDepatment of Cardiac Rehabilitation, Imam Reza Hospital, Mashhad University of Medical Sience, Mashhad20210613<p><strong>Background</strong>: After a coronary artery bypass graft (CABG), diabetic patients deal with various hemodynamic disorders. This study aimed to compare the effect of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) on the functional capacity of diabetic and nondiabetic patients following CABG.</p><p><strong>Methods</strong>: This descriptive‑analytical study was performed on 40 diabetic and nondiabetic patients attending a similar CR program following CABG. The subjects were selected by convenience sampling and were divided into two diabetes and nondiabetes groups. All patients attended 24 exercise sessions held 3 days a week. The functional capacity of patients was measured and recorded with the metabolic equivalent of Task criterion before and after the CR program. In addition, data analysis was performed in SPSS version 19.</p><p><strong>Results</strong>: In this study, the mean age of the diabetic and nondiabetic patients was 54.45 ± 5.82 and 56.85 ± 5.36 years, respectively. There was no significant difference between the research groups regarding the systolic and diastolic blood pressure (P &gt; 0.05). The mean functional capacity in the diabetes and nondiabetes groups was 4.5 ± 0.79 and 5.2 ± 1.7 before the rehabilitation, respectively. However, the results of Mann–Whitney U‑test were indicative of a lack of a significant difference in this respect (P &gt; 0.05). After the CR program, the mean functional capacity in the diabetes and nondiabetes groups was 5.7 ± 1.31 and 6.3 ± 1.7, respectively, demonstrating an insignificant difference in this regard (P &gt; 0.05).</p><p><strong>Conclusions</strong>: According to the results of the study, there was no significant difference between the diabetic and nondiabetic patients, who underwent CABG, after a CR program. However, replication of the study is warranted.</p>http://ijpm.mui.ac.ir/index.php/ijpm/article/view/2441http://ijpm.mui.ac.ir/index.php/ijpm/article/download/2441/717718280