NCT01584895

Brief Summary

Cardiac rehabilitation programs improve mortality, functional capacity, and quality of life, for a variety of patients with heart disease. It stands to reason that patients with LVADs might therefore also benefit from the same structured exercise training, education, and clinical surveillance. One potential benefit of cardiac rehabilitation in this patient population is reversal of the skeletal muscle atrophy that occurs due to extended periods of poor peripheral perfusion (i.e. before implantation) and prolonged sedentary behavior. Purpose: The purpose of this proposed study is to examine the effects of a 6-week exercise program on cardiorespiratory fitness, quality of life, and device flow rate in patients with recently implanted LVADs. Methods: 30 patients with recently implanted LVADs will be referred by the Henry Ford Hospital Advanced Heart Failure Program once the patient is deemed appropriate for exercise. Before enrollment into cardiac rehabilitation patients will undergo a six minute walk test and graded exercise stress test on a treadmill to determine exercise capacity. Additionally, a quality of life questionnaire will be given. Following the stress test, patients will be randomized (2 to 1 ratio) into either cardiac rehabilitation or control. Those chosen to be in the control group will be encouraged to maintain daily activities; those in the rehabilitation group will partake in 6 weeks of a standard cardiac rehabilitation program. This will consist of 3 days a week of supervised exercise as well as education regarding diet and lifestyle modifications. At 6 weeks after randomization both groups will again undergo fitness assessments and retake the quality of life questionnaires.

Trial Health

87
On Track

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Enrollment
26

participants targeted

Target at below P25 for not_applicable heart-failure

Timeline
Completed

Started May 2011

Geographic Reach
1 country

1 active site

Status
completed

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

Click on a node to explore related trials.

Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

Study Start

First participant enrolled

May 1, 2011

Completed
12 months until next milestone

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

April 23, 2012

Completed
2 days until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

April 25, 2012

Completed
4 months until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

September 1, 2012

Completed
4 months until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

January 1, 2013

Completed
Last Updated

August 19, 2015

Status Verified

August 1, 2015

Enrollment Period

1.3 years

First QC Date

April 23, 2012

Last Update Submit

August 17, 2015

Conditions

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

  • Cardiopulmonary fitness

    Peak VO2 as measured on a treadmill using gas exchange

    six weeks

Secondary Outcomes (1)

  • Quality of life

    six weeks

Study Arms (2)

Rehab

EXPERIMENTAL

Patients randomized into early cardiac rehabilitation

Behavioral: Cardiac Rehabilitation

Control

NO INTERVENTION

No cardiac rehabilitation until after 6 week post assessment.

Interventions

A standard cardiac rehabilitation program consisting of 3 days per week of supervised exercise and education.

Rehab

Eligibility Criteria

Age18 Years+
Sexall
Healthy VolunteersNo
Age GroupsAdult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

  • Continuous flow left ventricular assist device
  • Implanted within the past six months
  • Approval from cardiologist to participate in cardiac rehabilitation
  • Age greater or equal to 18 years
  • No history of cardiac rehabilitation participation since receiving a LVAD

You may not qualify if:

  • Orthopedic limitations to perform exercise
  • Current infection related to LVAD
  • Severe anemia
  • Recent CVA related to LVAD implant that affects ability to exercise
  • Unable to attend cardiac rehabilitation at Henry Ford Hospital
  • Uncontrolled metabolic disorders

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (1)

William Clay Ford Center for Athletic Medicine

Detroit, Michigan, 48202, United States

Location

Related Publications (2)

  • Kerrigan DJ, Williams CT, Ehrman JK, Bronsteen K, Saval MA, Schairer JR, Swaffer M, Keteyian SJ. Muscular strength and cardiorespiratory fitness are associated with health status in patients with recently implanted continuous-flow LVADs. J Cardiopulm Rehabil Prev. 2013 Nov-Dec;33(6):396-400. doi: 10.1097/HCR.0000000000000024.

    PMID: 24189213BACKGROUND
  • Kerrigan DJ, Williams CT, Ehrman JK, Saval MA, Bronsteen K, Schairer JR, Swaffer M, Brawner CA, Lanfear DE, Selektor Y, Velez M, Tita C, Keteyian SJ. Cardiac rehabilitation improves functional capacity and patient-reported health status in patients with continuous-flow left ventricular assist devices: the Rehab-VAD randomized controlled trial. JACC Heart Fail. 2014 Dec;2(6):653-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jchf.2014.06.011. Epub 2014 Oct 22.

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Heart Failure

Interventions

Cardiac Rehabilitation

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Heart DiseasesCardiovascular Diseases

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

RehabilitationAftercareContinuity of Patient CarePatient CareTherapeuticsHealth ServicesHealth Care Facilities Workforce and Services

Study Officials

  • Dennis J Kerrigan, PhD

    Henry Ford Health System

    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
not applicable
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
SINGLE
Who Masked
OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
Purpose
SUPPORTIVE CARE
Intervention Model
PARALLEL
Sponsor Type
OTHER
Responsible Party
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
PI Title
Senior Exercise Physiologist

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

April 23, 2012

First Posted

April 25, 2012

Study Start

May 1, 2011

Primary Completion

September 1, 2012

Study Completion

January 1, 2013

Last Updated

August 19, 2015

Record last verified: 2015-08

Locations