The effect of adding exercise training to optimal therapy in PAH

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  The effect of adding exercise training to optimal therapy in pulmonary arterial hypertension

• IRAS ID

  181697

• Contact name

  Martin Johnson

• Contact email

  martin.johnson@ggc.scot.nhs.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  National Waiting Times Board

• Duration of Study in the UK

  2 years, 0 months, 1 days

• Research summary

  People with Pulmonary Hypertension (high blood pressure in the lung circulation) have severely limited exercise capacity. Currently available medication does not improve exercise capacity to a satisfactory degree. A safe and well tolerated exercise training programme has been shown to improve activity levels, quality of life and possibly heart function in people with pulmonary hypertension (PH) in Germany.

  We aim to assess whether a similar program in the UK would improve quality of life, exercise capacity and heart function in people with PH on the optimal available treatment. Furthermore, we hope to determine the how this exercise program devives beneficial effects in people with PH by assessing heart, lung and muscle function before and after the exercise training program.

  The program involves two stages:

  1. Three weeks of training in hospital, supervised by a doctor.

  o Stationary cycling and walking adjusted to the individuals’ ability.
  o Muscle strength training
  o Breathing exercises

  2. Twelve weeks training at home. Equipment such as a stationary exercise bicycle would be provided. The doctor would keep in regular telephone contact.

  We will perform tests at the beginning and end of the program to understand the effect of exercise in patients with PH by measuring the following:
  - Exercise capacity: distance walked in six minutes and a bicycle test
  - Heart function: scans of the heart and catheter measurements of heart pressures
  - Muscle function: blood tests and in some people, a sample of muscle tissue from the thigh
  - Breathing function tests

  If we meet our objectives, we hope this research will lead to exercise therapy becoming available as a treatment in the UK to improve the exercise capacity, symptoms and potentially survival.

• REC name

  West of Scotland REC 4

• REC reference

  15/WS/0197

• Date of REC Opinion

  9 Sep 2015

• REC opinion

  Favourable Opinion