The Effects of Telerehabilitation and Exercise Training in Pediatric Arrhythmia Patients With Pacemakers

Congenital Heart Disease Clinical Trial

Official title:

The Effects of Telerehabilitation and Exercise Training on Physical Activity, Exercise Capacity, Muscle Strength and Quality of Life in Pediatric Arrhythmia Patients With Pacemakers

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Enrolling by invitation

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT05454501
• Other study ID #: E-22481095-020-1222
• Status: Enrolling by invitation
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: May 31, 2022
• Est. completion date: September 2023

Study information

• Verified date: July 2022
• Source: Hacettepe University
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

There is no study evaluating online exercise training and results in children with pacemakers. This study investigates the effects of group exercise training performed via computer online videoconferencing in pediatric arrhythmia patients with pacemakers. Pediatric arrhythmia patients aged 6-18 years with a pacemaker, stable clinically, and living with at least one parent or caregiver who can support them at home will be included in the study. Eligible patients will be randomly divided into two groups. After the face-to-face evaluation session, those in the intervention group will receive real-time online exercise training for 30 minutes, three days a week, with a peer group of 5-6 people for eight weeks. Physical activity will be monitored for seven days before starting the exercise and seven days after the training is completed. After the first face-to-face evaluation session, patients in the control group and their families will receive a 1-hour disease- and exercise-specific patient education program. Information brochures containing physical activity and exercise recommendations will be given. They will be followed up with weekly phone calls throughout the study period.

Description:

It is known that physical activity and exercise have long-term beneficial effects on preventing atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases, dyslipidemia, obesity, hypertension, osteoporosis, and type 2 diabetes, frequently seen in sedentary individuals. Various exercise training programs are safe and feasible and improve functional outcome measures in this patient population. Walking distance, peak oxygen consumption, and increased physical activity were observed in these patients with exercise training. Increasing physical activity in children is also associated with gross motor performance development and positive emotional, social, and intellectual development. The probability of being a sedentary adult was very low in congenital heart patients who do sports from an early age. Universal reports drew attention to the importance of exercise and physical activities in children with heart disease and stated that they should be encouraged. Paradoxically, only a minority of children with heart disease receive physical activity counseling. Children with pacemakers have similar potential to improve their physical fitness through physical activity as their healthy peers. However, children often experience an uncertainty about what physical activities should be recommended and how the intensity of exercise should be, and they are brought up with overprotective attitudes. This encourages children to inactivity and causes them to feel inadequacy and fear. In addition, patient and family concerns about the particular vulnerability of children with pacemakers; may exacerbate social isolation and physical inactivity more than the general population. .

Exercise training may be the most crucial strategy to improve functional capacity, increase physical activity and reduce the risk of future cardiovascular events. Although consensus reports indicated that exercise should be encouraged and performed regularly in these patients, it is not a common practice. Among the possible reasons; are logistical problems, costs, and parental concern about adverse events. There is a need to evaluate the effects of rehabilitation programs that can connect safely and inexpensively with these patients, including those living geographically far from rehabilitation centers. Home-based exercise approaches can be preferred as a safe, feasible, and beneficial alternative to supervised cardiac rehabilitation for all age groups with congenital hearth disease. The effectiveness of online exercise programs provided or supported through the Internet and related technologies is safe for children to participate in and improve compliance.

The potential of online exercise programs in children with congenital hearth disease remains largely unexplored. Although no study evaluates exercise training and results in pediatric arrhythmia patients with pacemakers, the subject is open to research.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Enrolling by invitation
• Enrollment: 50
• Est. completion date: September 2023
• Est. primary completion date: June 2023
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: All
• Age group: 6 Years to 18 Years

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• stable clinical condition (having a medical examination in the last three months, including an ECG and an echocardiogram),

• living with at least one parent or caregiver who can support them at home

Exclusion Criteria:

• To have any neurological, advanced orthopedic problems, any other systemic disease or acute infection,

• To use anticoagulant drugs,

• To have Down syndrome,

• Cannot cooperate with the video conference system and measurements

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Congenital Heart Disease
• Heart Defects, Congenital
• Heart Diseases

Intervention

Other:
• Exercise Training
For eight weeks, they will receive real-time online exercise training for 30 minutes, three days a week, with a peer group of 5-6 people. Before starting the exercise, physical activity will be monitored for seven days.
• Patient Education
After the first face-to-face evaluation session, these patients and their families will receive a 1-hour patient education program specific to the disease and exercise. Information brochures containing physical activity and exercise recommendations will be given. They will be followed up with weekly phone calls throughout the study period. At the end of 8 weeks, the second evaluation interview will be held. Afterward, the patients in the control group will be able to participate in the online exercise training program if they request it.

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
Turkey	Hacettepe University Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Unit and Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Department of Pediatric Cardiology	Ankara

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Hacettepe University

Country where clinical trial is conducted

Turkey, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Number of steps	It will be evaluated with an activity tracker	for 7 consecutive days before and after training days. Change from baseline to 8 weeks.
Primary	Perceived effort, maximum workload and heart rate reserve	Cardiorespiratory capacity will be evaluated with an effort test with a treadmill. The modified Bruce protocol will be used as the treadmill protocol.	A week before before starting the training and after 8 weeks training. Change from baseline to 8 weeks.
Primary	6 Minute Walk Test (6MWT) Walking Distance	Functional exercise capacity will be assessed with the 6 Minute Walk Test. Pre-test heart rate, blood pressure, saturation values will be evaluated during and after the test.	A week before before starting the training and after 8 weeks training. Change from baseline to 8 weeks.
Secondary	peripheral muscle strength	hand dynamometer	A week before before starting the training and after 8 weeks training. Change from baseline to 8 weeks.
Secondary	health related quality of life	PedsQL self-reported quality of life scale	A week before before starting the training and after 8 weeks training. Change from baseline to 8 weeks.