Clinical Research Directory
Browse clinical research sites, groups, and studies.
Hospital-to-Home Transitional Cardiac Rehabilitation After Cardiac Surgery
Sponsor: Cheng-Hsin General Hospital
Summary
Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) improves outcomes after cardiac surgery, but is usually delivered on a fixed centre-based schedule that requires repeated daytime hospital attendance. A hybrid model, in which supervised training begins in hospital and then transitions to monitored home-based training, may make the service reachable for more patients without reducing supervision during the early postoperative period. This single-blind randomised controlled trial compared a hospital-to-home transitional (hybrid) CR programme with conventional centre-based CR in adults at low exercise-training risk after cardiac surgery. Participants were allocated 1:1. Control participants attended twice weekly for 8 weeks (16 supervised sessions). Hybrid participants attended twice weekly for 2 weeks (4 supervised sessions), underwent a repeat risk assessment, and then trained at home for 6 weeks with heart-rate monitoring, a cloud-based care platform, weekly telephone contact and twice-weekly text messages. The primary outcome was peak oxygen uptake measured by cardiopulmonary exercise testing at baseline and 8 weeks. The trial was designed as a pilot study to estimate treatment effect and variability for a future definitive trial.
Official title: Hospital-to-Home Transitional Cardiac Rehabilitation as a Transition From Centre-Based Cardiac Rehabilitation After Cardiac Surgery: A Single-Blind Randomised Controlled Trial
Key Details
Gender
All
Age Range
20 Years - 75 Years
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment
30
Start Date
2023-06-23
Completion Date
2025-03-31
Last Updated
2026-09-09
Healthy Volunteers
No
Conditions
Interventions
Hybrid cardiac rehabilitation
Two weeks of centre-based cardiac rehabilitation, twice weekly (4 supervised sessions). Aerobic exercise is individually prescribed from the baseline cardiopulmonary exercise test at 60-80% of heart rate reserve and a rating of perceived exertion of 11-13, comprising 5-10 minutes of warm-up, 20-30 minutes of conditioning and 5-10 minutes of cool-down. Elastic-band resistance training is performed twice weekly. Participants are taught to self-monitor heart rate and perceived exertion and to use the communication software and cloud care platform. A repeat risk assessment is performed at the end of week 2; participants who remain at low risk then transition to 6 weeks of home-based rehabilitation comprising at least three aerobic and two resistance sessions weekly, with wrist heart-rate monitoring, an exercise-sharing platform, upload of home measurements, one telephone follow-up and two motivational text messages per week, and adjustment of the aerobic prescription as capacity improves.
Centre-based cardiac rehabilitation
Participants in this study will undergo an eight-week hospital-based cardiac rehabilitation program. They will attend sessions twice a week and receive one additional session of verbal encouragement for self-exercise. The program includes aerobic exercises tailored to individual fitness levels. Additionally, participants will engage in a weekly group session focusing on resistance training for 50 minutes, targeting major muscle groups with a perceived exertion level of 11-13. Throughout the program, exercise performance will be monitored, and aerobic exercise prescriptions will be adjusted as needed to ensure progress. Participants will also be required to maintain records of their self-exercise activities at home. Furthermore, educational articles and manuals will be provided to offer comprehensive care.
Locations (1)
Cheng Hsin General Hospital
Taipei, Taiwan