MISTER
Research type
Research Study
Full title
MInimal versus SpecialisT Equipment in the delivery of pulmonary Rehabilitation (MISTER): a randomised controlled trial
IRAS ID
241564
Contact name
William Man
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 11 months, 31 days
Research summary
Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is an exercise and education programme for people with chronic lung disease that aims to improve fitness levels, breathlessness and quality of life. The majority of evidence to support PR has come from trials conducted in centres that utilise specialist exercise equipment such as treadmills, cycle ergometers, and specialist resistance equipment (PR-specialist). However, in clinical practice routine access to this equipment may not be feasible. In the 2015 Royal College of Physicians National Audit, it was identified that 81% of PR programmes in England and Wales were hosted in community sites and 59% of these probably did not have access to specialist equipment. Accordingly, exercise training at these sites was completed with minimal exercise equipment (PR-min), typically using simple, portable equipment such as free weights, walking programmes, and bodyweight resistance exercises.\nApart from improving accessibility, it has been argued that PR-min may have other advantages over PR-specialist. Exercise-training using minimal equipment may better reflect activities of daily-living than training using specialist equipment, and therefore be easier to replicate and maintain at home following discharge from PR. However, there is a paucity of robust literature examining the efficacy of centre-based PR completed with minimal exercise equipment. The aim of this research is to determine whether an eight-week supervised PR programme using minimal exercise equipment (PR-min) is non-inferior to a standard eight-week supervised PR programme delivered using specialist exercise equipment (PR-specialist) in terms of health benefits for patients with chronic lung disease.\nThis study is a parallel, two-group, assessor- and statistician-blinded, randomised trial. Participants will be allocated by chance to PR-min or PR-specialist. Both interventions will comprise two supervised sessions per week for eight weeks delivered by the same team. Outcome measures will be recorded at initial assessment for PR, following PR at eight weeks and at 12 months.\n\n
REC name
London - Camden & Kings Cross Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/LO/0315
Date of REC Opinion
12 Mar 2018
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion