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Physical Activity and Ventricular Arrhythmias

Not Applicable
Completed
Conditions
Defibrillators, Implantable
Tachycardia, Ventricular
Interventions
Behavioral: Interval exercise
Registration Number
NCT04070300
Lead Sponsor
St. Olavs Hospital
Brief Summary

The purpose of the study is to determine the effect of aerobic interval training in patients with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) on physical fitness, quality of life and the amount of serious ventricular arrhythmic events on short and long term.

Detailed Description

In this study, participants will be randomly assigned to either take part in the exercise program or serve as control and live as usual. At baseline study visit, study researchers will review medical records to collect various information, including the reason for needing an ICD, the type and settings of the ICD, medication use and medical history etc. All participants will undergo blood collection, complete a questionnaire to assess quality of life and undergo examination with echocardiography and ECG. The ICD will be programmed accordingly to international guidelines regarding ICD-therapy and optimal monitoring, before each participant complete an exercise treadmill test to determine VO2 peak. They will wear a Holter monitor to record heart activity 48 hours before the test and 24 hours after the test. All participants will then be observed for 2 months before being randomly assigned to either intervention or control. During this observation period, they will wear a fitness activity tracker wristband to evaluate degree of physical activity and a Holter monitor to register number of premature ventricular contractions. Participants taking part in the interval training group will perform aerobic interval training 4 x 4 minutes intervals, 3 times a week for 12 weeks (week 1-12), whereas participants taking part in the control group will carry on with usual daily life with no lifestyle recommendations. All participants will then undergo a new period of observation (week 13-20) and repeat the tests and examinations performed at baseline and during the observation period prior to intervention/control.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
55
Inclusion Criteria
  • Patients with ICD and dilated cardiomyopathy or coronary heart disease as cause for implantation
  • ICD implanted at St Olavs hospital, Trondheim

In case of difficulties with patient inclusion for the study, the criteria might be broadened to include patients with idiopathic ventricular arrhythmia as cause for implantation.

Exclusion Criteria
  • inability to accomplish the exercise program due to serious comorbidity or to participate in regular training within the next 3 months due to other reasons
  • signs of severe cardiac ischemia or persistent ventricular tachycardia during individualized treadmill O2 peak test, which after individual assessment is to be found at risk
  • comorbidity where endurance training at more than moderate intensity is discouraged
  • severe cardiac valve disease
  • planned surgery within the next 3 months
  • inability to give informed consent

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Interval training groupInterval exerciseAerobic interval training during 12 weeks 3 times a week.
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Change in assessment of quality of lifeChange from baseline and after intervention period (12 weeks)

Patient-reported survey of patient health SF-36

Change in physical fitness/aerobic capacityChange from baseline and after ended intervention period (12 weeks)

Expressed in and measured with maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 peak)

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Changes in signal-averaged ECG (SA-ECG)Baseline and after ended intervention period (12 weeks)

Measured by quantifying late potentials after depolarization of the ventricles

Changes in cholesterol valueBaseline and after ended intervention period (12 weeks)

Evaluated by changes in total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol (all in mmol/L) as a measure of cardiac risk

Change in burden of ventricular arrhythmias from baseline to week 9-12Baseline and the last 4 weeks of intervention period (week 9-12)

Evaluated by number of premature ventricular contractions (registered on a 72 hours Holter monitoring)

Changes in triglycerides valueBaseline and after ended intervention period (12 weeks)

Evaluated by changes in triglycerides ( in mmol/L) as a measure of cardiac risk

Change in burden of ventricular arrhythmias from baseline to week 13-16Baseline and the first 4 weeks after intervention period (week 13-16)

Evaluated by number of premature ventricular contractions (registered on a 72 hours Holter monitoring)

Change in burden of ventricular arrhythmias from baseline to week 9-16Baseline and the last 4 weeks of intervention period plus 4 first weeks after intervention period (week 9-16)

Evaluated by number of premature ventricular contractions (registered on a 72 hours Holter monitoring)

Cardiac functionBaseline and after ended intervention period (12 weeks)

Evaluated by changes in left ventricular dimensions and systolic/diastolic function assessed by echocardiography and blood values (NT-proBNP and troponin T)

Changes in adiposityBaseline and after ended intervention period (12 weeks)

Evaluated by changes in waist circumference (cm) and BMI (kg/m\^2) as measures of adiposity

Changes in heart rate variabilityBaseline and after ended intervention period (12 weeks)

Evaluated by measuring changes in SDNN, SDANN 5, ASDNN 5 and RMSSD registered on a 72 hours Holter monitoring

Changes in number of premature ventricular contractions during a single bout of high intensity exercise (VO2 peak test)Baseline and after ended intervention period (12 weeks)

Measured by changes in the number of premature ventricular contractions during VO2 peak testing

Change in degree of physical activityBaseline and after ended intervention period (12 weeks)

Assessed by number of steps daily registered with fitness activity tracker wristband (worn for 1 week)

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

St Olavs Hospital

🇳🇴

Trondheim, Norway

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