Changes in Fitness and Strength in Postoperative Cardiac Patients Undergoing Exercise Therapy: Biological and Functional Mechanisms of Recovery

Yale University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Cardiorespiratory; Insufficiency, Due to A Procedure, Long-Term, Cardiac Surgery

Treatments: Behavioral: Cardiac Exercise Program

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT04903691

2000028739

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study seeks to determine the biological, physiological and psychological effects of supervised exercise programs in patients surviving open heart surgery.

Full description

Patients who have survived open heart surgery and cleared for exercise by their clinical team will be approached to enter a 12-week exercise program. Patient will consent to train with a personalized program either in strength, functional or aerobic exercise in a supervised setting for 3 sessions per week for a minimum of 12-week period. The aim is to enroll males and females in this arm in 1:1 ratio if possible. A separate cohort of patients entering cardiac rehabilitation (CR) will also be included for comparison. The CR program includes three sessions per week for a maximum of 36 sessions. The enrollment and retention rates in CR will be monitored. In this study, five patients who have undergone cardiac surgery and chosen not to participate in organized exercise program will be included. Participants cardiorespiratory fitness will be measured either using a questionnaire or in person. Through each phase of the study, the change in fitness, strength, biomarkers, body composition, cognition and psychosocial recovery will be monitored. All subjects will undergo detailed assessments in the research lab 2 weeks before and after finishing or exiting exercise program. A short (3-month) and long term (12-month) outcomes including rates of survival, major adverse cardiac events, cognition and cardiac-related hospitalizations will be collected as well during the study.

Enrollment: 9 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Patients at least 18 years of age or older who undergo open heart surgery and who intend to enroll in a cardiac rehabilitation program.

Exclusion criteria

• Patients may be excluded for inability to read or understand English
• suffering from a condition that precludes informed consent (for example, cardiogenic shock)
• hemodynamic instability
• ongoing trauma or substance overdoses
• known intellectual or developmental delay
• communication impairment
• active users of illicit substances
• active psychiatric illness
• inability to attend cardiac rehabilitation (homeless, in police custody, or living out of state)
• inability to exercise (lower limb amputation, bedridden, decompensated heart failure, ongoing cancer treatment)

Trial design

Primary purpose: Supportive Care

Allocation: Non-Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

---

9 participants in 2 patient groups

Exercise training

Experimental group

Description:

130 patients who underwent open heart surgery and are cleared for exercise.These will include patients who enter supervised cardiac rehabilitation as well as patients who enter a supervised exercise program focusing strength training, endurance of functional training.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Cardiac Exercise Program

Additional controls

No Intervention group

Description:

5 patients who choose not to enter any organized exercise program.