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The Impact of Prehabilitation

Not Applicable
Recruiting
Conditions
Post Operative Complications
Interventions
Other: Preoperative education
Behavioral: Moderate aerobic exercise
Other: Text messages
Behavioral: Pedometer
Registration Number
NCT06181253
Lead Sponsor
Boston Medical Center
Brief Summary

While numerous studies have assessed the promising impacts of prehabilitation, there is a lack of prehabilitation research within lower socioeconomic patient populations. Often for prehabilitation studies, patients are heavily involved in full scale exercise and nutrition programs weeks before the scheduled procedure. In underserved populations, programs such as these are often not feasible due to lack of transport, resources, and other barriers to healthcare. The investigators seek to evaluate the effectiveness of inexpensive interventions in lower socioeconomic populations.

The investigators hypothesize that barriers to prehabilitation are environmental and that prehabilitation interventions tailored for lower socioeconomic (SES) populations will improve time to discharge, mobility, and in turn, readmission rates.

The participants for this clinical trial will be seen four times: initially at the preoperative surgical clinic (6-8 weeks prior to surgery), 1-2 days preop at a pre-procedure clinic, postoperative in the inpatient setting (as soon as the participant is able to ambulate during their hospital stay), and in the postoperative surgical clinic at the postoperative visit. Patients will be within the general surgery, colorectal, and surgical oncology departments at Boston Medical Center (BMC).

The anticipated sample size is 60 participants (30 in the intervention/prehabilitation arm and 30 in the control/usual care arm). Participants in the intervention arm will participate in a mobility and step tracking intervention aimed at improving postoperative outcomes. The control group will follow routine standard of care at BMC for preoperative and postoperative care.

Detailed Description

Not available

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
RECRUITING
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
60
Inclusion Criteria
  • Patients within general surgery, colorectal, and surgical oncology departments at Boston Medical Center.
  • English or Spanish speaking
  • Able to ambulate without cane, walker, wheelchair
  • Surgery scheduled within 4-8 weeks
  • Must have cell phone with internet access and text message capabilities
  • JH-HLM score of 6
Exclusion Criteria
  • Limited/non readers (less than 5th grade reading level), assessed via comprehension of consent materials

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Prehabilitation groupPreoperative educationWatch a video created by the investigators, discussing exercise prior to surgery, receive text message reminders to begin exercise before surgery, and take walking tests before and after surgery.
Prehabilitation groupModerate aerobic exerciseWatch a video created by the investigators, discussing exercise prior to surgery, receive text message reminders to begin exercise before surgery, and take walking tests before and after surgery.
Prehabilitation groupText messagesWatch a video created by the investigators, discussing exercise prior to surgery, receive text message reminders to begin exercise before surgery, and take walking tests before and after surgery.
Prehabilitation groupPedometerWatch a video created by the investigators, discussing exercise prior to surgery, receive text message reminders to begin exercise before surgery, and take walking tests before and after surgery.
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Baseline 6 minute walking test (6MWT)Baseline (preoperatively)

The 6MWT is an exercise test that measure patient endurance and aerobic capacity. Participants will walk while attached to pulse oximetry for 6 minutes and total distance walked will be recorded. The higher a person's score, the better their exercise tolerance.

Postoperative John's Hopkins Highest Level of Mobility (JH-HLM) ScalePostoperative, 24-48 hours after surgery

The JH-HLM is an ordinal scale for documenting a patient's highest observed level of activity in the bed, chair, standing, and walking. It has a range from 1 to 8 where lying in bed (score = 1) to ambulating \>250 feet (score = 8). HIgher scores indicate greater mobility.

Postoperative Frailty ScoringPostoperative, 24-48 hours after surgery

Clinical frailty score is a 9 point scale used to assess frailty in patients. A score of 1 indicates "Very Fit", 2 indicates "Fit", and so on. A frailty score of 9 indicates terminally ill. The higher the frailty score, the more frail a patient is considered. Clinicians use their best judgement given a variety of patient factors including physical fitness, motivation, and medical comorbidities.

Adherence to mobility intervention assessed by pedometer step count8 weeks

Participants will be asked daily about their pedometer step count as a measure of adherence to prehabilitation walking program.

Postoperative 6 minute walking test (6MWT)Postoperative, 24-48 hours after surgery

The 6MWT is an exercise test that measure patient endurance and aerobic capacity. Participants will walk while attached to pulse oximetry for 6 minutes and total distance walked will be recorded. The higher a person's score, the better their exercise tolerance.

Baseline Frailty ScoringBaseline (preoperatively)

Clinical frailty score is a 9 point scale used to assess frailty in patients. A score of 1 indicates "Very Fit", 2 indicates "Fit", and so on. A frailty score of 9 indicates terminally ill. The higher the frailty score, the more frail a patient is considered. Clinicians use their best judgement given a variety of patient factors including physical fitness, motivation, and medical comorbidities

Adherence to mobility intervention assessed by text survey data8 weeks

Participants will be asked daily regarding home activity level (minutes of walking per day) as a measure of adherence to prehabilitation walking program.

Baseline Activity Measure for Post Acute Care (AMPAC)Baseline (preoperatively)

This tool aims to assess a patient's physical function status as it relates to activities of daily living as a brief questionnaire. Questions assess ability to perform activities such as dressing and ambulating.Known as "6-Clicks" due to being composed of six scored patient activity questions, a patient's "6-Clicks" score falls on a 6- to 24-point scale where a score of 6 represents total functional impairment and a score of 24 represents total absence of impairment.

Postoperative Activity Measure for Post Acute Care (AMPAC)Postoperative, 24-48 hours after surgery

This tool aims to assess a patient's physical function status as it relates to activities of daily living as a brief questionnaire. Questions assess ability to perform activities such as dressing and ambulating.Known as "6-Clicks" due to being composed of six scored patient activity questions, a patient's "6-Clicks" score falls on a 6- to 24-point scale where a score of 6 represents total functional impairment and a score of 24 represents total absence of impairment.

Baseline John's Hopkins Highest Level of Mobility (JH-HLM) ScaleBaseline (preoperatively)

The JH-HLM is an ordinal scale for documenting a patient's highest observed level of activity in the bed, chair, standing, and walking. It has a range from 1 to 8 where lying in bed (score = 1) to ambulating \>250 feet (score = 8). HIgher scores indicate greater mobility.

Baseline Veterans Rand 12 (VR-12) Item Health SurveyBaseline (preoperatively)

The VR-12 is a patient reported outcome measure that aims to assess patients health related qualify of life as it relates to their physical and mental health.The results of the VR-12 are summarized as two scores - a Mental Component Score (MCS) and a Physical Component Score (PCS). The scores may be reported as Z-scores (difference compared to the population average, measured in standard deviations). The United States population average PCS and MCS are both 50 points.

Postoperative Veterans Rand 12 (VR-12) Item Health SurveyPostoperative, 24-48 hours after surgery

The VR-12 is a patient reported outcome measure that aims to assess patients health related qualify of life as it relates to their physical and mental health.The results of the VR-12 are summarized as two scores - a Mental Component Score (MCS) and a Physical Component Score (PCS). The scores may be reported as Z-scores (difference compared to the population average, measured in standard deviations). The United States population average PCS and MCS are both 50 points.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Length of hospital stay6-8 weeks

The number of days participants are hospitalized will be abstracted from the participants medical records.

Readmission rate8 weeks

Through chart review, the participants readmission rate back into the hospital (postoperatively) will be compared between the intervention and control group.

Complications from surgery2 months post surgery

Through chart review, the rate of complications will be compared intervention and control group. Complications comprise of: infection of surgical site, hemorrhage, deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, pulmonary complications (ie. atelectasis, pneumonia), and death.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Boston Medical Center

🇺🇸

Boston, Massachusetts, United States

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