The Healthy Heart Study

Cardiac Rehabilitation Clinical Trial

Official title:

Improving Delivery of Patient-Centered Cardiac Rehabilitation

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT02105246
• Other study ID #: CHR13-10887
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: July 15, 2015
• Est. completion date: March 31, 2018

Study information

• Verified date: January 2019
• Source: University of California, San Francisco
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

The long-term goal of this research is to improve patient-centered outcomes in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD), the leading cause of death in the world. Exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation (CR) programs decrease mortality and improve quality of life in patients with CHD. Published guidelines recommend exercise-based CR following hospitalization for myocardial infarction, coronary artery bypass grafting, or percutaneous coronary revascularization.

Despite these compelling benefits, CR programs are vastly underutilized, with less than a third of eligible patients participating. One promising solution is greater implementation of home-based CR. Both home and center-based CR programs have equal benefits on cardiovascular risk factors and quality of life. However, similar efficacy does not necessarily translate into similar effectiveness. If patients are more likely to participate in home- vs. center-based therapy, then greater participation could lead to greater clinical effectiveness. We are therefore conducting a quasi-experimental, controlled trial at two VA medical centers to determine the comparative effectiveness of referral to home- vs. center-based CR in patients with CHD.

Aim 1: Determine whether automatic referral to home- vs. center-based CR increases patient participation in CR after hospitalization for myocardial infarction or coronary revascularization.

Aim 2: Among patients who choose to participate in CR, compare the effectiveness of home- vs. center-based CR on six-minute walk distance, quality of life, and healthcare expenditures.

Aim 3: Determine whether the effects of home vs. center-based CR differ by age, gender, race, ethnicity, employment, socioeconomic status, social support, comorbid conditions, or patient preference.

Results from this study will (a) help policy makers determine the effect of covering home CR on healthcare expenditures in patients with CHD; (b) help providers understand the potential benefits and harms of home- vs. center-based CR; and (c) help patients answer questions like, "Given my personal circumstances and preferences, which of these options will improve the outcomes most important to me".

Description:

The long-term goal of this research is to improve patient-centered outcomes in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). CHD is the leading cause of death in the world. Exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation (CR) programs decrease mortality and improve quality of life in patients with CHD. Published guidelines recommend exercise-based CR following hospitalization for myocardial infarction, coronary artery bypass grafting, or percutaneous coronary revascularization, and referral to CR is one of nine performance measures established by the American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology for patients with CHD.

Despite these compelling benefits, CR programs are vastly underutilized, with less than a third of eligible patients participating. The largest barrier to patient participation is that CR must be provided in a physician's office or hospital setting to qualify for reimbursement. For this reason, virtually all existing CR programs require that the patient travel to a CR center 3 times per week for 12 to 36 weeks. Unfortunately, many Americans live too far from a CR center to enroll, and even when nearby programs are available, many patients do not have the time, flexibility, transportation, social support, and/or financial resources to attend.

One promising solution to the problem of CR under-utilization is greater implementation of home-based CR. Both home and center-based CR programs have equal benefits on cardiovascular risk factors and quality of life. However, similar efficacy does not necessarily translate into similar effectiveness. If patients are more likely to participate in home- vs. center-based therapy, then greater participation could lead to greater clinical effectiveness. We are therefore conducting a quasi-experimental, controlled trial at two VA medical centers to determine the comparative effectiveness of referral to home- vs. center-based CR in patients with CHD.

Aim 1: Determine whether automatic referral to home- vs. center-based CR increases patient participation in CR after hospitalization for myocardial infarction or coronary revascularization.

Aim 2: Among patients who choose to participate in CR, compare the effectiveness of home- vs. centerbased CR on six-minute walk distance, quality of life, and healthcare expenditures.

Aim 3: Determine whether the effects of home vs. center-based CR differ by age, gender, race, ethnicity, employment, socioeconomic status, social support, comorbid conditions, or patient preference.

Results from this study will (a) help policy makers determine the effect of covering home CR on healthcare expenditures in patients with CHD; (b) help providers understand the potential benefits and harms of home- vs. center-based CR; and (c) help patients answer questions like, "Given my personal circumstances and preferences, which of these options will improve the outcomes most important to me.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 1154
• Est. completion date: March 31, 2018
• Est. primary completion date: March 31, 2018
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: All
• Age group: 18 Years and older

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

Post MI, CABG, or PCI Able to speak, read and write in english

Exclusion Criteria:

Class IV CHF Unstable Angina Complex Ventricular Arrythmias EF <35% without AICD AICD candidate Resting SBP >200mmHG Resting DBP>110mmHG Cognitive Impairment by MoCA Score <26 Life expectancy <1 year

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Cardiac Rehabilitation

Intervention

Behavioral:
• Referral to home-based cardiac rehab
Home-based cardiac rehab is a 12 week, home-based lifestyle intervention that includes counseling regarding heart healthy lifestyle changes.
• Referral to center-based cardiac rehab
Center-based cardiac rehab is a health center-based cardiac rehabilitation program that involves counseling in healthy heart behaviors and exercise delivered in a clinical setting.

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United States	San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center	San Francisco	California

Sponsors (2)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
University of California, San Francisco	Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United States, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Other	Change in Distance Completed on 6-minute Walk Test	Baseline to 3-month change in 6-minute walk test distance (feet) among subjects who participated in home-based vs. center-based cardiac rehab.	3 months
Other	Change in Distance Completed on 6-minute Walk Test	Baseline to 6-month change in 6-minute walk test distance (feet) among patients who participated in home-based vs. center-based cardiac rehab.	6 months
Primary	Participation in Cardiac Rehabilitation	Number of eligible patients who participated in at least one cardiac rehabilitation exercise session.	12 Months