Secondary prevention of stroke. A physical activity and diet pilot randomised controlled trial

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Stroke; Transient Ischaemic Attack (TIA); Stroke - Haemorrhagic; Stroke - Ischaemic

• Registration Number: ACTRN12620000189921
• Lead Sponsor: niversity of Newcastle

Brief Summary

We assessed whether telehealth-delivered physical activity and/or diet interventions are feasible and safe for people with stroke or TIA, and reduce stroke risk factors. Physical inactivity and poor diet quality are significant risk factors for stroke. International guidelines recommend increasing physical activity and improving diet quality to reduce the risk of recurrent stroke. There is however little evidence to support this. 40 stroke survivors who had experienced a stroke or TIA took part. • The telehealth-delivered interventions were found to be safe and feasible. Attendance at intervention sessions was high, with minimal dropout rates. There were no serious adverse events related to the interventions. • Participants receiving the physical activity intervention reported spending significantly more time being physically active compared to those who did not receive the intervention. • Participants who received the diet intervention showed promising improvement in overall diet quality. They also reported improvements in quality of life. • There were trends toward lower blood pressure associated with both the physical activity and diet interventions. Limitations The study faced difficulties reaching the target sample size, possibly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Study participants were predominantly young, lived in metropolitan areas, had normal blood pressure, and felt confident in their ability to exercise and results may not be generalisable to other populations.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2020-02-19
• Study Completion: 2023-02-01
• Last Update Posted: 15 April 2024

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 40

Inclusion Criteria

(i)Aged over 18 years
(ii)Self-reported stroke or TIA between 3 months to 10 years ago
(iii)Living at home
(iv)Able to walk independently at least short distances, based on participant self-report.
(v)Sufficient cognitive ability and/or carer support to engage in the interventions
(vi)Access to stable internet connection which can adequately support telehealth service

Exclusion Criteria

(i)Living in residential care
(ii)Unstable cardiac conditions, severe arthritis or other conditions limiting the ability to exercise
(iii)Food allergies limiting the ability to adhere to the AusMed diet
(iv)Difficulties swallowing (dysphagia)
(v)Already meeting physical activity guidelines (score =moderate” International Physical Activity Questionnaire
(vi)Already adhering to a Mediterranean-style diet, indicated by a Mediterranean Diet Score Survey
(vii)Enrolled in another physical activity or diet intervention trial.

Study & Design

• Study Type: Interventional
• Study Design: Not specified