MedPath

Exercise Training in Grown-up Congenital Heart Disease

Not Applicable
Conditions
Congenital Heart Disease
Interventions
Behavioral: exercise training
Registration Number
NCT02825472
Lead Sponsor
Academisch Medisch Centrum - Universiteit van Amsterdam (AMC-UvA)
Brief Summary

Rationale: Regular physical activity and aerobic exercise training are related to decreased cardiovascular mortality in healthy individuals, as well as in individuals with cardiovascular risk factors and cardiac patients. Unfortunately, no such data is available on exercise training in adult patients with congenital heart disease.

Objective: The objective of the ExTra GUCH trial is to assess whether encouragement of a six-month sports participation program in addition to usual care in symptomatic adult patients with congenital heart disease improves exercise capacity and quality of life, and lowers serum N-terminal prohormone brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels.

Study design: International, multi-centre parallel randomized controlled trial.

Study population: Adult patients with congenital heart disease, who are in New York Heart Association (NYHA) class II or III.

Intervention (if applicable): The intervention group receives a six-month individualized exercise training program, the control group receives usual care.

Main study parameters/endpoints: The primary outcome is the change in peakVO2 between patients in the sports participation group, and the control group. Secondary outcome measures are change in NYHA functional class, quality of life, and NT-proBNP levels. The primary safety outcome is the composite of all hospitalizations, and all deaths during, or within three hours after exercise. The secondary safety outcome is the composite of all exercise related injuries for which medical attention is sought.

Detailed Description

The investigators intend to submit the trial design of this study for this purpose.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
UNKNOWN
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
100
Inclusion Criteria
  • Age ≥ 18 years
  • Congenital heart disease of all complexities
  • NYHA Class II or III
Exclusion Criteria
  • Inability to give informed consent
  • Inability to participate in an exercise training program
  • Exercise-induced arrhythmia and/or ischemia
  • Cyanosis at rest
  • Pregnancy
  • Major cardiovascular event and/or procedure within three months previous to inclusion.
  • Participation in interventional clinical trial

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Exercise training programexercise trainingSix-months sports participation, three times per week for 30 minutes in the target heart rate zone
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Primary safety endpoint: composite of hospitalizations, deaths during, or within three hours after exercisebetween 3 hours after exercise for the duration of the 6 months study period

The primary safety outcome is the composite of all hospitalizations, and all deaths during, or within three hours after exercise.

Primary efficacy endpoint: change in peak VO26 months

change in peak VO2 between baseline and 6-months follow-up CPET

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Secondary efficacy endpoint: NTproBNP level6 months

change in NTproBNP between baseline and 6-months follow-up

Secondary efficacy endpoint: quality of life6 months

change in SF36 scores between baseline and 6-months follow-up

Secondary safety endpoint: composite of all exercise related injuries for which medical attention is sought6 months study period

The secondary safety outcome is the composite of all exercise related injuries for which medical attention is sought during the study period

Trial Locations

Locations (2)

Department of Cardiology, I.R.C.C.S. Policlinico San Donato Milanese

🇮🇹

Milan, Piazza Edmondo Malan, Italy

Hospital

🇳🇱

Amsterdam, North-Holland, Netherlands

© Copyright 2025. All Rights Reserved by MedPath