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Motivational Interviewing and Group Heart Transplant Exercise and Education: A Pilot Study

Not Applicable
Active, not recruiting
Conditions
Orthotopic Heart Transplant
Interventions
Other: Group Exercise Program
Registration Number
NCT05398744
Lead Sponsor
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Brief Summary

The aim of this 16-week group aerobic training program, delivered remotely via video-conferencing, is to assess program feasibility, and determine if program increases physical activity in adolescents after heart transplant.

Detailed Description

Orthotopic heart transplant (OHT) is the definitive therapy for children with cardiac disease, however, survival after transplant is limited, and quality of life after transplant is less than healthy peers'. The transplanted heart usually works well, pumping blood as well as most healthy hearts. As such, the American Heart Association recommends no specific exercise related restrictions for heart transplant recipients. Although most children have normal cardiac function after OHT, children with transplanted hearts have impaired exercise performance, and do not exercise as much as their peers. This finding is concerning, as impaired exercise tolerance is associated with reduced survival, diminished health related quality of life, and depression and anxiety. These factors negatively impact adherence, and further limit graft survival. Thus, identifying interventions that positively impact physical activity and promote graft longevity, like individualized exercise programs, should be a priority for post-transplant care.

Investigators propose that increasing physical activity in children and adolescents after OHT may be a critical modifiable method for increasing graft longevity and improving quality of life. Investigators will explore this through a pilot program. Participants will wear an activity monitor to record physical activity, parents/caregivers and participants will complete surveys, and participants will engage with psychologists and exercise physiologists.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
24
Inclusion Criteria

Not provided

Exclusion Criteria

Not provided

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
SINGLE_GROUP
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Virtual group aerobic training programGroup Exercise Program16-week, virtual group aerobic training program led by exercise physiologist. Duration: 24 weeks. Four weeks recording of baseline activity through activity monitor; 16-week virtual group aerobic training program, 3 times per week for 30 minutes; and four weeks of follow-up.
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Study feasibility assessed by participation in training sessions16 weeks

Attendance at assigned training sessions

Study feasibility evaluated by participants' engagement on the activity monitor application24 weeks

Days of logged activity on the MyHeart application

Study feasibility assessed by participants' engagement with exercise physiologist24 weeks

Participants' attendance at biweekly meetings with exercise physiologist

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Physical activity of participants24 weeks

Time spent at target heart rate

Perceived exercise barriers or exercise barriers24 weeks

Exercise barriers will be measured by analysis of survey responses related to physical activity practices

Participants' overall program satisfaction24 weeks

Participants' overall program satisfaction will be analyzed by review of completed post-intervention questionnaires

Health Related Quality of life24 weeks

Health related quality of life (HRQL) will be measured by participants' responses to Pediatric Quality of Life (PEDSQL) questionnaire, generating scores from 0-100 with a higher score indicating better quality of life.

Psychological well-being24 weeks

Psychological well-being will be evaluated by participants' responses on questionnaires using Patient Reported Outcome Measurement Information System (PROMIS). PROMIS measures generate T-scores. T-scores are standard scores with a mean of 50 and standard deviation of 10 in a reference population (usually U.S. general population) with a higher score indicating more of the psychological concept being measured.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

🇺🇸

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

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