Prehabilitation Intervention to Maximize Early Recovery (PRIMER) in Liver Transplantation

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Liver Diseases; Frailty; End Stage Liver Disease
• Interventions: Device: Nokia GO Wearable StepTracker; Other: Medication Reminder; Other: Weekly Check-in appointment with study team or provider

• Registration Number: NCT03584646
• Lead Sponsor: University of Pennsylvania

Brief Summary

This is a single center, 2-arm, patient-randomized study evaluating the feasibility and potential efficacy of the PRIMER intervention in improving physical function and reducing frailty in adult Liver Transplant candidates. The intervention will consist of a patient-tailored prehabilitation program designed to reduce frailty, improve physical function and nutritional status, and optimize pre- and post-transplant outcomes.

Detailed Description

The investigator will pilot-test a two-arm, randomized trial of a prehabilitation intervention in 38 pre-liver transplant patients with End Stage Liver Disease (ESLD). The investigator estimates an attrition rate of 20%, resulting n=30 participants; 10 participants in Arm 1 (control arm) and 20 participants in Arm 2 (intervention arm). To be eligible, patients must be waitlisted or "Penn-Ready" with a MELD-Na less than or equal to 25, English-speaking, able to safely participant in an exercise program, have a smartphone, and be identified as frail. The purpose of this trial is to develop and implement a program of medical optimization, physical activity, and nutrition recommendations specifically tailored to ESLD and designed to reduce frailty, improve physical function, and optimize pre- and post-transplant outcomes.

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2018-02-01
• Study Start: 2018-02-28
• Study First Submitted QC: 2018-06-28
• Study First Posted: 2018-07-12
• Primary Completion: 2022-10-01
• Study Completion: 2022-10-01
• Status Verified: 2023-01
• Last Update Submitted: 2023-01-10
• Last Update Posted: 2023-01-11

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 30

Inclusion Criteria

1. Participants must be wait-listed, in transplant evaluation, or "Penn Ready" with a MELD-Na score less than or equal to 25;
2. Patients must be English speaking and own/use a smartphone and cognitively able to consent;
3. Patient and physician feel that individual can safely participate in an exercise program;
4. Meeting at least one 'at risk' criterion for impaired physical performance, frailty, or malnutrition (by SPPB, abPG-SG, dynamometer measured grip strength), or physical deconditioning as determined by physical therapist, or treating clinician.

Exclusion Criteria

1. The patient is unable to provide informed consent;
2. The patient has been hospitalized within the last 30 days;
3. A score of 0-3 points on the SPPB assessment indicating inability to participate in a physical activity program or a score of 12 in the absence of frailty or malnutrition (indicating low risk for poor physical or performance or malnutrition);
4. The patient is at risk for falling as defined by clinician assessment results or if the patient states that he/she has a history of falling (record of a fall(s) in the past 30 days);
5. The patient is already enrolled in a financial incentive-based exercise program using a wearable device;
6. Any other medical conditions that would prohibit participation in a physical activity program as determined by transplant clinicians or severe vision, hearing, or mobility impairment precluding participation.

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Arm 1 - Control Arm	Nokia GO Wearable StepTracker	Usual care, nutrition and exercise counseling at baseline, use of the Nokia GO wearable step tracker device and end-of-study assessment at the end of the 14-week study period. Participants will receive the Nokia GO wearable step tracker to monitor daily step counts, but they will not be provided with personalized walking goals or automated feedback on goal attainment via text message.
Arm 2 - Intervention arm	Nokia GO Wearable StepTracker	Physical activity program supported by financial incentives for meeting walking goals and participating in weekly check-in appointments with study team members via telephone calls. Participants in the intervention arm will also receive twice-daily medication reminders via bidirectional text messages to promote medication adherence. Participants in Arm 2 will also receive personalized nutrition and exercise counseling, daily feedback on step counts via the Nokia GO wearable step tracker and their smartphones, and an end-of-study assessment.
Arm 2 - Intervention arm	Medication Reminder	Physical activity program supported by financial incentives for meeting walking goals and participating in weekly check-in appointments with study team members via telephone calls. Participants in the intervention arm will also receive twice-daily medication reminders via bidirectional text messages to promote medication adherence. Participants in Arm 2 will also receive personalized nutrition and exercise counseling, daily feedback on step counts via the Nokia GO wearable step tracker and their smartphones, and an end-of-study assessment.
Arm 2 - Intervention arm	Weekly Check-in appointment with study team or provider	Physical activity program supported by financial incentives for meeting walking goals and participating in weekly check-in appointments with study team members via telephone calls. Participants in the intervention arm will also receive twice-daily medication reminders via bidirectional text messages to promote medication adherence. Participants in Arm 2 will also receive personalized nutrition and exercise counseling, daily feedback on step counts via the Nokia GO wearable step tracker and their smartphones, and an end-of-study assessment.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Feasibility of the Intervention	14 weeks	Feasibility of the intervention will be evaluated by the percentage of patients that complete the study intervention.
Acceptability of the Intervention	14 weeks	Acceptability will be measured using a patient satisfaction questionnaire upon study completion.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Grip strength level relative to BMI	14 weeks	Body Mass Index (BMI) will be calculated using height in inches and weight in pounds and reported as 'kg/m\^2'. Grip strength will be compared to BMI and a 'BMI-adjusted' grip strength level will be reported using established 'kilogram to BMI ratio' standards.
Grip strength	14 weeks	Grip strength will be measured using a digital hand dynamometer and the unit of measure is kilograms.
Performance on the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB)	14 weeks	The SPPB is a simple test to measure lower extremity function using tasks that mimic daily activities. The SPPB examines three areas of lower extremity function; static balance, gait speed, and getting in and out of a chair. Static balance is measured in units of time (seconds) and patients are timed holding 3 different stances. Gait speed is measured in time (seconds) to walk 4 meters. Chair sits are measured as the time (seconds) it takes to get up and out of a chair 5 times without using one's arms to assist the exercise. Collectively, the three tests are used to generate a total score (0-12) that reflects a patient's frailty (score of 0) or lack of frailty (score of 12).
Body composition/BIA	14 weeks	Bioelectrical impedance analysis will be completed using the Bodystat Quadscan 4000, which is a multi-frequency body composition analyzer. Body fat percentage (%) will be compared to lean body mass percentage and total body water percentage to assess sarcopenia and nutritional status.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Perelman Center for Advanced Medicine; 🇺🇸 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States