Aerobic Reconditioning After Cardiac Surgery Using a Predictive Exercise Model

NCT07440407 · Status: COMPLETED · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 118

Last updated 2026-03-03

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Brief Summary

After heart surgery, aerobic exercise is essential for recovery. Traditional exercise planning uses a cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET), which may be unavailable early after surgery. This study tested a six-minute walk test (6MWT)-based method.

Patients aged 30-65 were randomized to either 6MWT-guided or symptom-guided exercise. They completed 14 supervised cycling sessions over two weeks. Safety, exercise progression, training volume, functional capacity, physical performance, and quality of life were measured.

Out of 118 patients, 109 completed the program with no serious exercise-related events. The 6MWT group started at higher intensity and achieved greater training volume. Both groups improved similarly in functional and quality-of-life measures, showing the 6MWT method is safe, feasible, and non-inferior to the traditional approach.

Conditions

  • Post-cardiac Surgery
  • Rehabilitation

Interventions

OTHER

Equation-Based Aerobic Exercise Prescription

Patients performed 14 supervised cycling sessions over two weeks. Exercise workload was prescribed using a predictive equation derived from the six-minute walk test (6MWT) to estimate maximal workload. Progression was individualized based on calculated target workload.

OTHER

Symptoms-Based Aerobic Exercise Prescription

Patients performed 14 supervised cycling sessions over two weeks. Exercise workload was guided by perceived exertion using the Borg CR10 scale, targeting a rating of 4-6. Workload adjustments were made according to patient-reported symptom

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri SpA

    lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Max Age
65 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2022-03-30
Primary Completion
2024-04-30
Completion
2024-07-15

Countries

  • Italy

Study Locations

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT07440407 on ClinicalTrials.gov