Exergaming in Advanced HF With Multiple Chronic Conditions Prior to LVAD Implantation or Heart Transplant

Summary

The purpose of this study is to test a home-based exergaming intervention designed to decrease frailty and fatigue and improve affective well-being, functional capacity, and immune function in individuals with advanced heart failure (HF) and multiple chronic conditions (MCC) prior to receiving either a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) or orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT). Prior to surgery, individuals with advanced HF/MCC experience a high symptom burden that often precludes them from participating in meaningful physical activity. Pre-surgical fitness programs have been used in other critically ill populations to improve function prior to surgery. Interactive gaming systems have been successfully used to engage other seriously ill adults in low-intensity physical activity. However, exergaming interventions have not yet been applied in individuals with advanced HF/MCC as prehabilitation prior to LVAD implantation or OHT. The investigators propose that a prehabilitation exergaming intervention will not only enhance pre-surgical outcomes but will also augment postoperative outcomes. This study is designed in two-phases. Phase 1 examines intervention feasibility and phase 2 is a pilot study with a two-group design. In phase 2, participants will be randomized to a usual care group or the exergaming intervention group. The exergaming group will participate in a low-intensity exergaming intervention and additional investigator-developed educational modules that will be delivered via the Nintendo Wii U exergaming system. The investigators will evaluate pre- and post-surgical frailty, fatigue, affective well-being, and immune function as primary outcomes. The investigators expect that participation in low intensity exergaming will improve these primary outcomes pre- and post-surgically, and decrease post-surgical complications and health care utilization. Investigator-developed modules will promote self-efficacy, self-regulation, and activation. This is the first study to apply low-intensity exergaming to a pre-operative advanced HF/MCC population. The successful application of this intervention has significant implications to the pre-operative conditioning of individuals with advanced HF/MCC prior to LVAD implantation or OHT.

Conditions

• Heart-Assist Devices
• Heart Failure NYHA Class IV
• Exercise Training

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

PREHAB

After three supervised training sessions, subjects will be asked to participate in a daily exergaming activity tailored to their physical activity capabilities and needs. Subjects will be taught to rate their perceived exertion and monitor their target heart rate using a Fit Bit Charge HR. Daily exercise diaries will be used to monitor subject-perceived progress throughout the intervention period.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Nebraska

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Windy W Alonso, PhD, RN · University of Nebraska

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

19 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2019-03-01

Primary Completion

2021-03-01

Completion

2021-03-01

Countries

• United States

Study Locations