Feasibility and acceptability of a physical activity behavioural modification tele-coaching intervention in lung transplant recipients

• Published in: Chronic respiratory disease Vol. 19; p. 14799731221116588
• Main Authors: Hume, Emily, Muse, Hazel, Wallace, Kirstie, Wilkinson, Mick, Heslop Marshall, Karen, Nair, Arun, Clark, Stephen, Vogiatzis, Ioannis
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England SAGE Publications 01-07-2022; Sage Publications Ltd
• Subjects: Behavior modification; Exercise; Feasibility Studies; Female; Health behavior; Humans; Intervention; Lung; Lung transplants; Male; Mentoring; Patient education; Patient satisfaction; Rehabilitation in Thoracic Surgery; Telemedicine; Transplant Recipients; tele-rehabilitation; Lung transplantation; physical activity
• ISSN: 1479-9731; 1479-9723; 1479-9731
• DOI: 10.1177/14799731221116588

Background
Despite improvements in pulmonary function following lung transplantation (LTx), physical activity levels remain significantly lower than the general population. To date, there is little research investigating interventions to improve daily physical activity in LTx recipients. This study assessed the feasibility and acceptability of a novel, 12-weeks physical activity tele-coaching (TC) intervention in LTx recipients.
Methods
Lung transplant recipients within 2 months of hospital discharge were recruited and randomised (1:1) to TC or usual care (UC). TC consists of a pedometer and smartphone app, allowing transmission of activity data to a platform that provides feedback, activity goals, education, and contact with the researcher as required. Recruitment and retention, occurrence of adverse events, intervention acceptability and usage were used to assess feasibility.
Results
Key criteria for progressing to a larger study were met. Of the 15 patients eligible, 14 were recruited and randomised to TC or UC and 12 completed (67% male; mean ± SD age; 58 ± 7 years; COPD n = 4, ILD n = 6, CF n = 1, PH n = 1): TC (n = 7) and UC (n = 5). TC was well accepted by patients, with 86% indicating that they enjoyed taking part. Usage of the pedometer was excellent, with all patients wearing it for over 90% of days and rating the pedometer and telephone contact as the most vital aspects. There were no adverse events related to the intervention. After 12 weeks, only TC displayed improvements in accelerometry steps/day (by 3475 ± 3422; p = .036) and movement intensity (by 153 ± 166 VMU; p = .019), whereas both TC and UC groups exhibited clinically important changes in physical SF-36 scores (by 11 ± 14 and 7 ± 9 points, respectively).
Conclusion
TC appears to be a feasible, safe, and well-accepted intervention in LTx.