Effect of an Eccentric Exercise Program on Quality of Life and Function in People With Chronic Heart Failure.

Summary

Many studies have shown that exercise training is beneficial for patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). Heart Foundation guidelines strongly recommend regular physical activity and referral to a specifically designed rehabilitation program for all patients with CHF who are medically stable. Such programs usually comprise aerobic exercises such as walking, and light weightlifting with care to avoid heavy straining due to stress that this may place on the heart.

Eccentric contractions are those in which the muscle lengthens as it contracts. Exercise involving eccentric contractions is known to increase muscle strength and this type of exercise also requires less oxygen. This is because it requires less power to resist lowering a weight than it does to lift a weight. Initial evidence suggests that this form of exercise has favourable outcomes in the frail elderly and those with chronic disease.

This study aims to determine if eccentric exercise can be applied to patients with heart failure to increase their physical function while using less energy so that exercise is more tolerable for patients who complain of significant breathlessness and fatigue. This study also aims to determine if eccentric exercise is a safe alternative exercise option for patients at risk of negative events.

The investigators propose to run a randomised controlled trial. Eccentric exercise will be delivered to a group of heart failure patients referred to the existing heart failure rehabilitation program at the Northern Hospital. The program will consist of eight weeks of twice weekly exercise of one hour's duration comprising eccentric exercise combined with walking and light weight training. This will be compared to a group of patients participating in the current exercise program consisting of light weightlifting and aerobic exercises for the same length and duration of exercise and also to a third group of patients who will be wait listed for 8 weeks. Following the completion of the eight week waiting period, these patients will be offered the option of joining the standard exercise program.

The investigators expect that the eccentric exercise group will have improved walking capacity and quality of life compared with the traditional program and the wait-list control group. It is also possible that there is no difference between the eccentric and traditional program in terms of functional outcomes but that the participants report that eccentric exercise is easier.

Conditions

• Chronic Heart Failure

Interventions

OTHER

walking and light weights

OTHER

eccentric aerobic exercise

OTHER

concentric aerobic exercise

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Northern Hospital, Australia

  collaborator OTHER

• La Trobe University

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Rachel E Ellis · Northern Hospital, Australia

• Kwang Lim · Melbourne Health

• Karen J Dodd · Victoria University

• Anne E Holland · La Trobe University

• Nora Shields · La Trobe University

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

SINGLE

Model

FACTORIAL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2014-08-31

Primary Completion

2019-03-31

Completion

2019-03-31

Countries

• Australia

Study Locations