RExA-CF
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Reproducibility of virtual exercise assessments versus face-to-face exercise testing in adults with cystic fibrosis – a pilot feasibility study
IRAS ID
314914
Contact name
Gemma Stanford
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Royal Brompton Hospital, Guys and St Thomas's Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 2 months, 1 days
Research summary
People with cystic fibrosis (CF) are recommended to participate in regular physical activity and exercise as part of the management of their disease. Exercise tests can be used to assess the abilities of an individual, which can help guide exercise advice.
Exercise tests are traditionally completed face-to-face, but since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, face-to-face assessment possibilities have been limited, and some exercise tests have been completed via a video call between physiotherapists and the person with CF. While these video call tests have enabled CF physiotherapists to complete exercise tests for people with CF, at present there is limited evidence as to whether video-call exercise tests give the same results as face-to-face assessment.
This pilot study aims to compare the results of two face-to-face exercise tests with the results of the same tests completed via a virtual video link. Adults with CF will be asked to participate when they are at the Royal Brompton Adult CF clinic and when they are feeling well. Fifteen adults with CF will be recruited over a two-month period.
Participants will complete two exercise tests face-to-face and over a video-call in a random order in a two-week period. The tests are called the Chester Step Test and the One-Minute Sit to Stand test . The results of the face-to-face tests and the video-call tests will be compared. We will also ask the participants opinion on whether they preferred video-call or face-to-face tests and any difficulties they encountered.
It is important for physiotherapists to know whether the results of exercise tests completed via video-call give the same results as face-to-face tests so they know if it is feasible to continue to offer these tests as standard care in the future.
REC name
East of England - Cambridge East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
22/EE/0299
Date of REC Opinion
24 Jan 2023
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion