The effects of telerehabilitation in adults with complex biventricular congenital heart conditions: protocol for a multi-centre, randomised controlled trial-CH-FIT

• Published in: Current controlled trials in cardiovascular medicine Vol. 25; no. 1; p. 239
• Main Authors: Wood, Gina, Scheer, Anna, Saundankar, Jelena, Tran, Derek, Cordina, Rachael, Maiorana, Andrew
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 05-04-2024; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Aerobic fitness; Aerobics; Care and treatment; Combined exercise; Complex congenital heart anomalies; Congenital diseases; Congenital heart disease; Consent; Diagnosis; Evaluation; Exercise; Fitness training programs; Heart failure; Hospitals; Hypertension; Medical records; Mortality; Neurocognitive function; Pathophysiology; Patient outcomes; Physical fitness; Physiology; Rehabilitation; Telehealth; Telemedicine; Australia; Complex congenital heart anomalies; Telehealth; Aerobic fitness; Neurocognitive function; Combined exercise
• ISSN: 1745-6215; 1745-6215
• DOI: 10.1186/s13063-024-08019-7

Accumulated evidence suggests that exercise training exerts beneficial effects on people with congenital heart conditions. These findings are predominantly derived from small, single-centre exercise trials conducted in outpatient rehabilitation facilities. In recent years, the delivery of exercise interventions remotely has increased through digital communications technology (telerehabilitation). However, very little research to date has been conducted into the efficacy of telerehabilitation in people with a congenital heart condition.
To evaluate the effects of a telehealth-delivered exercise intervention in people with a history of a surgical biventricular repair due to a congenital heart condition.
One hundred eligible adolescent (≥ 16 years) and adult participants living with a complex biventricular congenital heart condition will be recruited from four Australian sites and randomised to either (1) a 16-week telehealth-delivered combined (aerobic and resistance) exercise training programme of moderate-to-vigorous intensity or (2) usual care (control group), in a 1:1 allocation, with an 8-month follow-up.
The primary outcome will be the change in aerobic capacity expressed as peak oxygen uptake (VO
). Secondary outcomes will include changes in vascular function, muscle oxygenation, metabolic profile, body composition and musculoskeletal fitness, neurohormonal activation, neurocognitive function, physical activity levels, dietary and nutritional status, and quality of life. Outcomes will be assessed at baseline, 16 weeks, and 12 months (to determine longer-term maintenance potential).
If found to be efficacious, telerehabilitation may be an alternative option for delivering exercise, improving health outcomes, and increasing accessibility to exercise programmes. Efficacy data is required to quantify the clinical significance of this delivery mode of exercise.
ACTRN12622000050752 Trial registration date: 17 January 2022 Trial registration URL: https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=382635&showOriginal=true&isReview=true Trial registry name: Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry.