Structured Inpatient Physiotherapy in High-Risk Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Patients

NCT07725887 | Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: 2026/315
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 100
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) may be associated with prolonged recovery, particularly in high-risk patients. Although preoperative rehabilitation has shown promising results, evidence remains limited because of heterogeneous intervention protocols and variations in postoperative care. This study aims to investigate the effects of a structured inpatient physiotherapy program initiated at least two days before surgery and continued postoperatively, compared with the same structured physiotherapy program provided only during the postoperative period, in high-risk CABG patients. The primary outcome is hospital length of stay. Secondary outcomes include intensive care unit length of stay, C-reactive protein, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, hemoglobin, dyspnea, and fatigue.

Conditions

CABG

Keywords

CABG; preoperative rehabilitation; postoperative rehabilitation

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Hospital Length of Stay

  Postoperative hospital length of stay, defined as the number of days from surgery until hospital discharge.

  From surgery until hospital discharge (approximately 7-14 days)

Secondary Outcomes (6)

• Intensive Care Unit Length of Stay

  From surgery until discharge from the intensive care unit (approximately 1-5 days)

• Hemoglobin

  Baseline (preoperative), through hospital discharge (up to approximately 30 days after surgery), and 7-10 days after hospital discharge.

• C-Reactive Protein (CRP)

  Baseline (preoperative), through hospital discharge (up to approximately 30 days after surgery), and 7-10 days after hospital discharge.

• Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR)

  Baseline (preoperative), through hospital discharge (up to approximately 30 days after surgery), and 7-10 days after hospital discharge.

• Dyspnea

  At the first postoperative physiotherapy session on the surgical ward and at the final physiotherapy session before hospital discharge.

Study Arms (2)

Preoperative and Postoperative Structured Inpatient Physiotherapy

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants will receive a structured inpatient physiotherapy program initiated at least two days before CABG surgery and continued throughout the postoperative hospitalization. The program includes breathing exercises, incentive spirometry, bronchial hygiene techniques, progressive early mobilization, and postural exercises. One supervised session will be provided daily before surgery, and participants will be instructed to repeat the program independently twice daily.

Other: Preoperative and Postoperative Structured Inpatient Physiotherapy

Postoperative Structured Inpatient Physiotherapy

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Participants will receive the same structured inpatient physiotherapy program only during the postoperative hospitalization. The program includes breathing exercises, incentive spirometry, bronchial hygiene techniques, progressive early mobilization, and postural exercises. No preoperative physiotherapy will be provided.

Other: Postoperative Structured Inpatient Physiotherapy

Interventions

Preoperative and Postoperative Structured Inpatient Physiotherapy OTHER

Participants will receive a structured inpatient physiotherapy program initiated at least two days before CABG surgery and continued throughout postoperative hospitalization. The program includes breathing exercises, incentive spirometry, bronchial hygiene techniques, progressive early mobilization, and postural exercises. Before surgery, one supervised session will be provided daily, and participants will be instructed to repeat the program independently twice daily.

Preoperative and Postoperative Structured Inpatient Physiotherapy

Postoperative Structured Inpatient Physiotherapy OTHER

Participants will receive the same structured inpatient physiotherapy program only during the postoperative hospitalization. The program includes breathing exercises, incentive spirometry, bronchial hygiene techniques, progressive early mobilization, and postural exercises.

Postoperative Structured Inpatient Physiotherapy

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 90 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Adults aged 18 years or older.
• Scheduled to undergo elective coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).
• High-risk patients meeting at least three of the following criteria:
• Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) \<40%. Three-vessel coronary artery disease. More than two comorbidities. History of smoking. Age \>65 years.
• \- Able and willing to provide written informed consent.

You may not qualify if:

• Planned redo CABG surgery.
• Severe neurological or orthopedic conditions limiting mobilization.
• Severe cognitive impairment.
• Hemodynamic instability.
• Contraindications to mobilization or exercise.
• Inability to complete at least two days of the preoperative physiotherapy program.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Bezmialem Vakif University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Bezmialem Vakif University

Istanbul, Eyupsultan, Turkey (Türkiye)

RECRUITING

Central Study Contacts

Fuat Gökdemir, PT, MSc

CONTACT

+905543727084; fuat.gokdemir@bezmialem.edu.tr

Ayşe Sena Manzak Dursun, PT, PhD

CONTACT

+905356735150; amanzak@bezmialem.edu.tr

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Asst. Prof.

Model Details: Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two parallel groups. The intervention group will receive a structured inpatient physiotherapy program initiated at least two days before coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and continued postoperatively. The control group will receive the same structured physiotherapy program only during the postoperative period.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: July 20, 2026
• First Posted: July 24, 2026
• Study Start: July 22, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): January 2, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): January 3, 2027
• Last Updated: July 24, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-07

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

TU (1)