Long Term Effect of High-intensity Training After Heart Transplantation

Oslo University Hospital41 enrolled

Overview

High-intensity training (HIT) has repeatedly been documented to have superior positive effects compared to moderate exercise in patients with coronary heart disease and heart failure. Since heart transplant recipients (HTx), have a denervated heart with different respond to exercise, HIT has previously not been introduced among these patients. Rikshospitalet carried out a RCT to investigate this (the TEX study 2009-2012), and found that this form of exercise also was highly effective and safe in long term HTx with clinically significant improvement in VO2peak, muscular exercise capasity, general HRQoL, and even slower progression of CAV (coronary allograft vasculopathy). Based on these findings we ask the following questions in this follow-up study: 1. Would the effect on VO2peak, HRQoL,muscle capacity and CAV obtained during the study period continue during long term follow up (5 years)? 2. Is the intervention group more physical active after HIT compared to the control group?

Study Type

OBSERVATIONAL

Enrollment

Conditions

Heart Transplant Recipients

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 18 YearsMax age: 80 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * stable situation * optimal medical treatment * written concent Exclusion Criteria: * unstable situation, * infections (open wounds or skin diseases), * physical conditions that prevents participation, * or other injuries/ diseases who are contraindicated with training.

Locations (1)

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

mean VO2peak in the intervention group and control group

We will use the same test protocol as the TEX- study.

Time frame: 5 years after start of inclusion in RCT (TEX). One measurment.

Secondary Outcomes

How many has progression of cardiac allograft vasculopathy in the intervention group and control group.

Progression of vasculopathy will be studied with IVUS technique, and compared with IVUS pictures from TEX.

Time frame: 5 years after inclusion in RCT (TEX study).

Mean muscle capacity in the intervention group and control group.

Time frame: 5 years after inclusion in RCT, TEX study.

Quality of life

We will use validated questionnaires to estimate quality of life and to evaluate depression.

Time frame: 5 years after inclusion in TEX- study.

Difference in activity level between groups

To estimate activity the study population will fill out a validated questionnaire about physical activity, and they will wear a physical activity monitor at home for one week.

Time frame: 5 years after inclusion i RCT, TEX study.