Publication details
Effect of a 6-month pedometer-based walking intervention on functional capacity in patients with chronic heart failure with reduced (HFrEF) and with preserved (HFpEF) ejection fraction: study protocol for two multicenter randomized controlled trials
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2017 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | Journal of Translational Medicine |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Web | http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12967-017-1257-x |
| Doi | http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12967-017-1257-x |
| Field | Cardiovascular diseases incl. cardiosurgery |
| Keywords | Chronic heart failure; Physical activity; Walking; Functional capacity; Pedometer; 6-min walk test; NT-proBNP |
| Description | Background: Regular physical activity is recommended for patients with chronic heart failure to improve their functional capacity, and walking is a popular, effective, and safe form of physical activity. Pedometers have shown potential to increase the amount of walking across a range of chronic diseases, but it is unknown whether a pedometerbased intervention improves functional capacity and neurohumoral modulation in heart failure patients. Methods: Two multicenter randomized controlled trials will be conducted in parallel: one in patients with chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), the other in patients with chronic heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Each trial will consist of a 6-month intervention with an assessment at baseline, at 3 months, at the end of the intervention, and 6 months after completing the intervention. Each trial will aim to include a total of 200 physically inactive participants with chronic heart failure who will be randomly assigned to intervention or control arms. The 6-month intervention will consist of an individualized pedometer-based walking program with weekly step goals, behavioral face-to-face sessions with a physician, and regular telephone calls with a research nurse. The intervention will be based on effective behavioral principles (goal setting, self-monitoring, personalized feedback). The primary outcome is the change in 6-min walk distance at the end of the 6-month intervention. Secondary outcomes include changes in serum biomarkers levels, pulmonary congestion assessed by ultrasound, average daily step count measured by accelerometry, anthropometric measures, symptoms of depression, health-related quality of life, self-efficacy, and MAGGIC risk score. Discussion: To our knowledge, these are the first studies to evaluate a pedometer-based walking intervention in patients with chronic heart failure with either reduced or preserved ejection fraction. The studies will contribute to a better understanding of physical activity promotion in heart failure patients to inform future physical activity recommendations and heart failure guidelines. |