“Super Rehab”: Can we achieve coronary artery disease regression?
Research type
Research Study
Full title
“Super Rehab”: Can we achieve coronary artery disease regression? (a feasibility study)
IRAS ID
287383
Contact name
Jonathan Rodrigues
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Coronary artery disease (CAD) remains a leading cause of premature death and millions suffer with its symptoms. Many individuals with CAD also have metabolic syndrome (MetS), which increases their risk of poor outcomes (e.g.heart attacks and premature death). MetS is diagnosed with combinations of abdominal obesity, high blood pressure, unhealthy blood sugar or cholesterol levels. Current treatments focus on medications and invasive operations to improve blood-flow, which carry risk and a notable expense for the NHS. Supported lifestyle intervention programmes (focusing on exercise and diet) can improve an individual’s cardiovascular health, quality of life, and reduce their number of medications. However, there is a lack of definitive research showing that lifestyle interventions can reverse the “furring-up” in arteries, and this evidence would help make them available in the NHS.
This feasibility study will assess whether it is possible to integrate a novel intensive lifestyle intervention (“Super Rehab”) into the care of high-priority patients with CAD and MetS. Super Rehab incorporates evidence-based lifestyle intervention research, targeting additional benefits from high-intensity exercise, modified dietary advice and novel behavioural techniques. It involves initially 10-weeks of 1:1 supervised high-intensity exercise sessions and dietary change via frequent meetings with a nutritional advisor. Supervision then tapers over a 12-month period to help participants maintain lifestyle change.
This study will determine whether participants like and manage the intervention, and gauge maintenance of lifestyle changes as supervision levels reduce. Participants will be randomised to either Super Rehab or continue usual care only, and asked to complete questionnaires and have physical and imaging tests on health, fitness and their coronary arteries at the beginning, middle and end of the study. Results will inform a subsequent larger study of this intervention across multiple sites to conclusively measure the impact on CAD, providing the evidence to impact on healthcare practices.
REC name
South West - Frenchay Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
21/SW/0153
Date of REC Opinion
15 Dec 2021
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion