Purpose

The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has resulted in catastrophic infections and fatalities across the nation. Many older Veterans with comorbidities are especially vulnerable to complications and poor recovery. This award will investigate the effect of a novel, home-based, supervised, group exercise tele-rehabilitation in Veterans recovered from COVID-19 on cardiopulmonary and physical function.

Condition

Eligibility

Eligible Ages
Between 50 Years and 85 Years
Eligible Genders
All
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
Yes

Inclusion Criteria

  • Veteran - documented COVID-19 > 90 days ago - diagnosis of 2 of following conditions: hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease OR 1 condition and BMI > 30 kg/m2

Exclusion Criteria

  • myocardial infarction (within 3 months) - exertional or unstable angina (chest pain that limits activity) - severe congestive heart failure (EF < 20% in last year or NYHA Classification III or IV) - uncontrolled hypertension (SBP >180 &/or DBP > 110 mm Hg at screening) - screening EKG with ischemia, complex arrhythmia, or high-grade block (per Minnesota Code) - poorly controlled diabetes mellitus (FBS>200 mg/dl, RBS > 299 mg/dl, or HbA1C > 10) - treatment for cancer except skin cancer (within 3 months) - peripheral vascular disease with claudication - severe arthritis limiting ambulation - neurologic disease limiting ambulation (weakness requiring assist device; severe neuropathy) - end stage liver disease (decompensated liver disease) - End stage renal failure (dialysis) - severe pulmonary disease (home O2, admission for dyspnea or pneumonia within 1 month) - high fall risk (history of falls, bone fracture) - dementia (based on Evaluation to Consent) - signs or symptoms of any medical comorbidity that would preclude exercise testing or training - exercises on routine basis (structured aerobic exercise > 3 time per week)

Study Design

Phase
N/A
Study Type
Interventional
Allocation
N/A
Intervention Model
Single Group Assignment
Intervention Model Description
Exercise tele-rehabilitation
Primary Purpose
Treatment
Masking
None (Open Label)

Arm Groups

ArmDescriptionAssigned Intervention
Experimental
Tele-exercise
Exercise training 2x/week at home. Sessions include circuit exercises of aerobic and resistive training stations which are led remotely.
  • Other: Tele-exercise
    Exercise training 2x/week at home. Sessions include circuit exercises of aerobic and resistive training stations which are led remotely.

Recruiting Locations

Baltimore VA Medical Center VA Maryland Health Care System, Baltimore, MD
Baltimore, Maryland 21201
Contact:
Kristina Marcus, MS
410-605-7000
kristina.marcus@va.gov

More Details

Status
Recruiting
Sponsor
VA Office of Research and Development

Study Contact

Alice S Ryan, PhD
(410) 605-7851
Alice.Ryan@va.gov

Detailed Description

There is an urgent need to understand the lasting impact of COVID-19 on the cardiopulmonary system to improve physical function and prevent long-lasting disability. Pertinent knowledge gaps regarding the post-recovery physiology driving any impairments need to be addressed to improve the quality of life in Veterans with prior SARS-CoV-2 infection. Further, it is important to devise successful rehabilitation strategies that can be safely conducted in a Veteran's home. Hence, the investigators propose to utilize VA Video Connect to deliver a home based, supervised group exercise program to Veteran COVID-19 survivors. The objective of this exercise trial is to determine the influence of COVID-19 on cardiorespiratory fitness, pulmonary and physical function and to investigate the effect of a home-based exercise tele-rehabilitation on these outcomes. The study design includes rural and urban sites and investigators with a history of VA rehabilitation collaboration. Moreover, the investigators will explore healthcare disparities related to COVID-19 which are associated with functional decline and may affect sustainability of exercise rehabilitation strategies deployed, if necessary, under social distancing restrictions.

Notice

Study information shown on this site is derived from ClinicalTrials.gov (a public registry operated by the National Institutes of Health). The listing of studies provided is not certain to be all studies for which you might be eligible. Furthermore, study eligibility requirements can be difficult to understand and may change over time, so it is wise to speak with your medical care provider and individual research study teams when making decisions related to participation.