Long-term Activity Coaching in Patients With COPD

Summary

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity around the world. Studies revealed that patients with COPD are less active than age-matched healthy controls and activity level decreases with disease severity. Higher levels of physical activity is related to important health-related outcomes, such as lower mortality rate and hospital admissions. Additionally, increasing physical activity is related with substantial health benefits. Patients with COPD have a higher risk of developing insulin resistance, hypertension, dyslipidemia, osteopenia, leading to chronic diseases such as coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes and osteoporosis, which have been related to physical inactivity in the healthy population. Moreover, physical inactivity has been related to the occurrence of comorbidities in patients with COPD. Therefore, improving physical activity levels is a recommended treatment in the disease management in all patients with COPD and is implemented in the recent GOLD guidelines for all patients with COPD, regardless of the disease severity.

The research group investigated the effect of a 3-month semi-automatic tele-coaching intervention on physical activity levels in patients with COPD. The tele coaching intervention led to a significant improvement on physical activity in the intervention group. Although this trial showed positive results on physical activity, further research is needed, mainly to investigate the long-term (12 months) effectiveness of such interventions and the added value of a smartphone application on top of a simple step counter providing feedback. Additionally, since physical activity is related to the development of comorbidities, the investigators aim to explore the influence of improving physical activity levels on the occurrence of cardiovascular, metabolic and musculoskeletal comorbidities. Finally, this study will explore baseline characteristics (such as social support, self-efficacy, dynamic hyperinflation, etc.) that can predict success in this intervention.

Conditions

• COPD

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Type 1 physical activity tele coaching intervention

A) Education about the importance of PA. During a one-to-one interview with the coach motivation, self-efficacy, barriers, favorite activities and strategies to become more active are discussed. B) Step counter providing direct feedback. C) A smartphone with a project-tailored application. The application provides automated coaching by displaying an activity goal (number of steps) and feedback on a daily basis. The feedback comes with a graphical presentation. Patients' targets are automatically revised weekly. The aim is to progressively increase the PA during the 12 weeks period and maintain afterwards. D) Telephone contacts triggered in the case of non-compliance with wearing the step counter, failure to transmit data, failure to progress or change in medication. Coaches are alerted by a note at the coaches' backend to take contact with the patient if needed.

BEHAVIORAL

Type 2 physical activity tele coaching intervention

A) Education about the importance of PA. During a one-to-one interview with the investigator, patients will receive a personal goal (expressed in steps/day), based on their individual exercise capacity. B) A step counter providing direct feedback. C) A smartphone with a project-tailored application. The application receives the step data of the patient and asks on a weekly basis about the patient's change in medication. The application does provide a graph showing the steps the patient took and presents a general activity plan including their personal goal (which stays the same throughout the entire intervention period). D) Telephone contacts triggered in the case of change in medication. Coaches are alerted by a note at the coaches' backend to take contact with the patient if needed.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University Ghent

  collaborator OTHER

• KU Leuven

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Wim Janssens, Prof · KU Leuven

• Heleen Demeyer, Dr · KU Leuven

• Thierry Troosters, Prof · KU Leuven

• Nikolaas De Maeyer, Dr · UZ Leuven

• Astrid Blondeel · KU Leuven

• Eric Derom, Prof.Dr. · UZ Gent

• Fien Hermans · U Gent

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

40 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2020-01-22

Primary Completion

2023-12-11

Completion

2023-12-11

Countries

• Belgium

Study Locations