Lung Transplant G0 (LTGO): Improving Self-Management of Exercise After Lung Transplantation

Summary

Estimated costs, from thirty days prior to lung transplant up through six months post surgery, exceed 1 million dollars per patient and routine medical costs average approximately fifty thousand dollars per year thereafter. Prior to transplant, lung transplant recipients self restrict activity due to severe respiratory limitations, resulting in reduced muscle mass and qualitative changes in large skeletal muscles. After transplant, despite improved lung function, studies consistently report that lung recipients fail to reach predicted physical function and physical activity. Nearly seventy percent are at risk of developing hypertension within the first five years due to side effects of immunosuppression and an inactive lifestyle worsens this risk. Consequently, full benefits of transplant may not be achieved. Few studies have tested ways to engage lung recipients in self management of exercise and adopt an active lifestyle. Lung Transplant Go LTGO is a behavioral exercise intervention that provides individualized exercise training integrated with behavioral coaching delivered in the recipient's home. Exercise training will focus on assisting lung recipients to learn and practice exercises to reverse muscle conditioning. Behavioral coaching will assist them to develop the skills to self manage physical activity in daily life and maintain this as a sustained habit using strategies that include incremental goal setting, self-monitoring, feedback and problem solving.

Conditions

• Exercise
• Lung Transplantation

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

LTGO-Home Based Exercise

The LTGO intervention consists of two phases: Phase 1. Intensive home-based exercise training and behavioral coaching via a telerehabilitation platform, Versatile and Integrated System for Tele-Rehabilitation (VISYTER)/two-way video communication system. Interactive intervention sessions will be delivered to the home via real time video conferencing (up to 12 sessions and a behavioral contract plan to prepare for phase 2); and Phase 2. Transition to self-management. Three telephone sessions (3 monthly counseling sessions) will be delivered over 12 weeks to provide behavioral coaching and exercise reinforcement

BEHAVIORAL

Enhanced Usual Care

Enhanced Usual Care (EUC) will involve delivery of monthly newsletters (6 newsletters) on the topics of post-lung transplant management, including food safety, environmental health, flu, mental health, etc. and the provision of a self-monitoring device.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR)

  collaborator NIH

• University of Pittsburgh

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Annette DeVito Dabbs, PhD · University of Pittsburgh

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

DOUBLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2019-04-01

Primary Completion

2023-09-30

Completion

2023-09-30

Countries

• United States

Study Locations