BACKGROUND: Data on the efficacy and safety of exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation (EBCR) in patients with left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) remains limited. This study aims to pool evidence on EBCR's efficacy and safety in LVAD patients and compare high-intensity (HIIT) versus moderate-intensity (MIIT) regimens. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) from PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, Scopus, and Web of Science up to January 2024. A fixed-effects model reported dichotomous outcomes using risk ratio (RR) and continuous outcomes using standardized mean difference (SMD) with a 95% confidence interval (CI). The study was registered in PROSPERO under the identifier 'CRD42024506485.' RESULTS: Six RCTs with 160 patients were included. No significant difference was found between EBCR and usual care for peak VO2 change [ CONCLUSION: The evidence suggests EBCR does not improve functional capacity, measured by peak VO2 or 6-MWD, in LVAD patients. However, EBCR is safe, with similar adverse event rates compared to usual care.