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Preoperative Nutritional Optimization and Physical Exercise for Patients Scheduled for Elective Implantation for a Left-Ventricular Assist Device

Phase 3
Conditions
End-stage Heart Failure
Cardiac Surgery
Left Ventricular Assist Device
Interventions
Combination Product: Nutrition + exercise
Registration Number
NCT04205760
Lead Sponsor
RWTH Aachen University
Brief Summary

This is a pilot, randomized, multicenter interventional trial of a combined preoperative oral nutritional support (ONS) and physical exercise therapy in patients planned for elective implantation of a left-ventricular assist device (LVAD). This pilot study pursues to demonstrate the feasibility and safety of a study protocol to optimize the patients' nutritional and physical state to reduce the number of postoperative complications and consequently to ameliorate the patients' outcome.

Detailed Description

The oral nutrition supplementation will be started immediately after randomization and will be continued until surgery. The patients will receive a dosage of ONS adjusted to their nutritional risk. Regular monitoring of blood sugars, electrolytes, phosphate, and triglycerides will occur twice per week, as per standard protocol.

In-bed cycling will be started as soon as possible after randomization. Cycling sessions will be performed daily for 50 minutes, at least 5 times a week until surgery. Standard safety criteria will be assessed prior to initiating cycling treatments. The in-bed cycling will be performed passively or actively with graded increasing resistance. All cycling interventions will be performed under 1:1 supervision of medically trained study personnel while monitoring patient's heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure and transcutaneous oxygen saturation of blood.

When evaluating the effect of a combined nutritional and exercise intervention, other important co-interventions should be standardized to reduce potential confounding of trial outcomes. All study patients should be fed with an oral diet that is in accordance to local standards, whereas it is strongly recommended to adhere to current clinical practice guidelines. Besides, the investigators highly encourage daily respiratory therapy in both groups plus mobilization as much as feasible.

All other key interventions during preoperative treatment will be standardized in accordance to the local clinical practice. Study teams will follow up on the patients on a daily base, documenting adherence with study interventions and key co-interventions.

Patients in the control group will not receive preoperative ONS. No bed cycling will be allowed from admission until surgery. Neither of these practices are the current standard of care in the participating unit.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
UNKNOWN
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
40
Inclusion Criteria
  1. Given informed consent
  2. Adult patients (≥18 years)
  3. Patients undergoing elective LVAD implantation Additional cardiac surgery, such as bypass grafting, or valve repair is permitted
Exclusion Criteria
  1. Hospital admission <5 days prior to planned LVAD implantation
  2. Patients on ECMO or INTERMACS<1
  3. Patients already receiving nutrition support on hospital admission
  4. Enteral nutrition is contraindicated.
  5. Pregnant or lactating patients
  6. Patients with clinical fulminant hepatic failure
  7. Patients with cirrhosis Child's Class C Liver Disease
  8. Patients with clinical kidney failure or requiring hemodialysis
  9. Known allergy or intolerance to study nutrients
  10. Intracranial or spinal process affecting motor function
  11. Lower extremity impairments that prevent cycling
  12. Disabling neuropsychiatric disorders or language barriers
  13. Weight > 150 kg
  14. Enrolment in an industry sponsored randomized trial within the last 30 days (co-enrolment in academic randomized trials will be considered on a case by case basis)

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
InterventionNutrition + exerciseOral nutrition support (ONS) and bed-cycling before surgery
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Rate of patients recruited per monthup to 18 months

Target: 1.5 patients per month

Separation of caloric supplementationup to 2 weeks before surgery

Separation between groups on prescribed caloric targets

Separation of protein supplementationup to 2 weeks before surgery

Separation between groups on prescribed protein targets

Proportion of interventions received as prescribedup to 2 weeks before surgery

Proportion of interventions received as prescribed

Comparison of adverse eventsup to 2 weeks before surgery

adverse events between groups related to cycling and nutritional complications

Ratio of control patients received physiotherapyup to 2 weeks before surgery

Ratio of control patients received physiotherapy

Ratio of control patients received nutritional supportup to 2 weeks before surgery

Ratio of control patients received nutritional support

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Mean duration of mechanical ventilationup to 3 months

Mean duration of mechanical ventilation

mortality rates at day 30day 30 after randomization

mortality rates at day 30

Quality of life - Short Form 36 (SF-36)up to 6 months

baseline values versus follow-up values,(Score: 0-100; 100=no limitation in daily life and 0=completely limited)

rates of ICU length of stayup to 3 months

rates of ICU length of stay

Incidence of complicationsup to 3 months

Incidence of complications

Incidence of infectionsup to 3 months

Incidence of infections

Change in Muscle strength - Handgrip strengthup to 6 months

Dynamometry, baseline values versus follow-up values

Change in Physical function - Functional Status Score for the ICUup to 6 months

baseline values versus follow-up values,(Score 0-35; the higher the score, the better physical functioning)

rates of hospital length of stayup to 3 months

rates of hospital length of stay

Change in Mid-arm circumferenceup to 6 months

baseline values versus follow-up values

Change in Muscle mass - Quadriceps thicknessup to 6 months

ultrasound, baseline values versus follow-up values

Change in Physical function - Short Physical Performance Batteryup to 6 months

baseline values versus follow-up values,(Score: 0-12; 0=worst performance and 12=best performance)

Change in Muscle mass - Quadriceps cross sectional areaup to 6 months

ultrasound, baseline values versus follow-up values

Change in Muscle strength - Quadriceps strengthup to 6 months

Dynamometry, baseline values versus follow-up values

Change of Clinical Frailty score (CFS)up to 6 months

baseline values versus follow-up values; Score: 1-9 (very fit: 1, terminally ill: 9)

Change in Physical function - 6-Minute Walk Testup to 6 months

baseline values versus follow-up values, 6-minute walking distance

Change in quality of life - Lawton Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL)up to 6 months

baseline values versus follow-up values, (score 0-8; the higher the more independent)

Change in quality of life - Katz Activities of Daily Living (ADL)up to 6 months

baseline values versus follow-up values,(Score: 0-100; the higher the more independent)

Change in neurological function - Mini Mental State Examinationup to 6 months

baseline values versus follow-up values, (score: 0-30; the higher the less cognitively impaired)

Trial Locations

Locations (5)

Heart Center Bad Oeynhausen

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Bad Oeynhausen, NRW, Germany

RWTH Aachen University

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Aachen, Germany

University Hospital Justus-Liebig University Giessen

🇩🇪

Giessen, Germany

Heart Center Dresden

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Dresden, Germany

University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Kiel

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Kiel, Germany

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