Effects of Exercise Training in Postoperative Patients With Congenital Heart Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

The effects of telerehabilitation in adults with complex biventricular congenital heart conditions: protocol for a multi-centre, randomised controlled trial-CH-FIT

BACKGROUND

Accumulated evidence suggests that exercise training exerts beneficial effects on people with congenital heart conditions. These findings are predominantly derived from small, single-centre exercise trials conducted in outpatient rehabilitation facilities. In recent years, the delivery of exercise interventions remotely has increased through digital communications technology (telerehabilitation). However, very little research to date has been conducted into the efficacy of telerehabilitation in people with a congenital heart condition.

AIMS

To evaluate the effects of a telehealth-delivered exercise intervention in people with a history of a surgical biventricular repair due to a congenital heart condition.

METHODS

One hundred eligible adolescent (≥ 16 years) and adult participants living with a complex biventricular congenital heart condition will be recruited from four Australian sites and randomised to either (1) a 16-week telehealth-delivered combined (aerobic and resistance) exercise training programme of moderate-to-vigorous intensity or (2) usual care (control group), in a 1:1 allocation, with an 8-month follow-up.

OUTCOMES OF INTEREST

The primary outcome will be the change in aerobic capacity expressed as peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak). Secondary outcomes will include changes in vascular function, muscle oxygenation, metabolic profile, body composition and musculoskeletal fitness, neurohormonal activation, neurocognitive function, physical activity levels, dietary and nutritional status, and quality of life. Outcomes will be assessed at baseline, 16 weeks, and 12 months (to determine longer-term maintenance potential).

DISCUSSION

If found to be efficacious, telerehabilitation may be an alternative option for delivering exercise, improving health outcomes, and increasing accessibility to exercise programmes. Efficacy data is required to quantify the clinical significance of this delivery mode of exercise.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ACTRN12622000050752 Trial registration date: 17 January 2022 Trial registration URL: https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=382635&showOriginal=true&isReview=true Trial registry name: Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry.

Effects of transition programmes to adulthood for adolescents and young adults with CHD: a systematic review with meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The increased survival rate among individuals with CHD has sparked interest in their transition to adult healthcare. Although there is a general agreement on the importance of transition interventions, the empirical evidence supporting them is insufficient. Therefore, this study aimed to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of transition interventions for adult healthcare in adolescents and young adults.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A literature search was conducted for studies comparing the quantitative effects of transition interventions with control groups, published up to March 15, 2023, in major databases (CENTRAL, Embase, PubMed, Web of Science, CINAHL, KISS, and KMbase), major clinical trial registries, academic journal sites related to the topic, and grey literature databases. Ten studies involving a total of 1,297 participants were identified. Transition interventions proved effective in enhancing disease-related knowledge (Hedge's g = 0.89, 95% CI = 0.29-1.48) and self-management (Hedge's g = 0.67, 95% CI = 0.38-0.95), as well as reducing loss to follow-up (OR = 0.41, 95% CI = 0.22-0.77). The certainty of evidence for the estimated values of each major outcome was low or very low.

CONCLUSIONS

This study supports the implementation of transition interventions by demonstrating that they can improve patients' disease knowledge and self-management, while also promoting treatment continuity. However, since the available data on transition interventions for adolescents and young adults with CHD remain limited, the widespread adoption of structured transition interventions in the future may alter the conclusions of this study.

REGISTRATION

URL: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO. Unique identifier: CRD42023399026.

An evidence gap map of interventions for noncommunicable diseases and risk factors among children and adolescents

Substance misuse, obesity, mental health conditions, type 1 diabetes, cancers, and cardiovascular and chronic respiratory diseases together account for 41% of disability-adjusted life years linked to noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) among children and adolescents worldwide. However, the evidence on risk factors and interventions for this age group is scarce. Here we searched four databases to generate an evidence gap map of existing interventions and research gaps for these risk factors and NCDs. We mapped 159 reviews with 2,611 primary studies; most (96.2%) were conducted in high-income countries, and only 100 studies (3.8%) were from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The efficacy of therapeutic interventions on biomarkers and adverse events for NCDs appears to be well evidenced. Interventions for mental health conditions appear to be moderately evidenced, while interventions for obesity and substance misuse appear to be moderate to very low evidenced. Priority areas for future research include evaluating digital health platforms to support primary NCD prevention and management, and evaluating the impact of policy changes on the prevalence of obesity and substance misuse. Our findings highlight the wide disparity of evidence between high-income countries and LMICs. There is an urgent need for increased, targeted financing to address the research gaps in LMICs.

Exploring the Promise of Telemedicine Exercise Interventions in Children and Adolescents With Congenital Heart Disease

Youth with congenital heart disease (CHD) have reduced exercise capacity via various physical and psychosocial mechanisms. In addition to limited physiologic exercise capacity, these patients experience lower levels of physical activity, physical activity self-efficacy, health-related quality of life, and endothelial function. The study of exercise interventions and cardiac rehabilitation programs in pediatric CHD populations remains limited, particularly home-based interventions that incorporate real-time physiologic monitoring. Home-based interventions provide improved access and convenience to patients. This is principally important for patients from geographically disperse regions who receive their care at centralized subspecialty centres, as is the case for Canadian pediatric cardiac care. These programs, however, have traditionally not permitted the supervision of safety, technique, and adherence that are afforded by hospital/facility-based programs. As such, telemedicine is an important evolving area that combines the benefits of traditional home and facility-based cardiac rehabilitation. An additional key area lacking study surrounds the types of exercise interventions in youth with CHD. To date, interventions have often centred around moderate-intensity continuous exercise. High-intensity interval training might offer superior cardiorespiratory advantages but remains understudied in the CHD population. In this review, we highlight the existing evidence basis for exercise interventions in youth with CHD, explore the promise of incorporating telemedicine home-based solutions, and highlight key knowledge gaps. To address identified knowledge gaps, we are undertaking a 12-week randomized crossover trial of a home-based telemedicine high-intensity interval training intervention in youth with repaired moderate-severe CHD using a video game-linked cycle ergometer (known as the MedBIKE; https://spaces.facsci.ualberta.ca/ahci/projects/medical-projects/remote-rehab-bike-projects).

Every child with congenital heart disease should be exercising

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Historically, children with congenital heart disease have been restricted from exercise, contributing to a sedentary lifestyle as well as increased cardiovascular risk factors. Given the large benefits and small risks of exercise in this population, guidelines have recently shifted towards exercise promotion. However, these recommendations have yet not gained traction and children with congenital heart disease continue to live sedentary lives. The purpose of this review is to summarize the current literature on exercise and exercise promotion in this population.

RECENT FINDINGS

New literature reinforces the importance of recommending exercise and improving exercise capacity both in congenital heart disease in general and for specific lesions. Exercise recommendations should be individualized based on functional parameters using a structured methodology to approach the evaluation, risk classification, and prescriptions of exercise and physical activity.

SUMMARY

Regular exercise is essential for children with congenital heart disease and providers must take an active role in providing exercise recommendations for their patients. Exercise promotion remains a challenge, necessitating novel approaches to promote exercise. Further studies are needed to improve the risk stratification of patients with congenital heart disease, assess the long-term outcomes of specific exercise interventions, and inform individualized recommendations to encourage children with congenital heart disease to safely engage in exercise and establish healthy lifelong habits that will decrease their cardiovascular risk.

Effects of Exercise Training in Postoperative Patients With Congenital Heart Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Background

The purpose of this meta‐analysis is to assess the effects of exercise training on quality of life, specific biomarkers, exercise capacity, and vascular function in congenital heart disease (CHD) subjects after surgery.

Methods and Results

We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, and EMBASE from the date of the inception of the database through April 2019. Altogether, 1161 records were identified in the literature search. Studies evaluating outcomes before and after exercise training among postoperative patients with congenital heart disease were included. The assessed outcomes were exercise capacity, vascular function, serum NT‐proBNP (N‐terminal pro‐B‐type natriuretic peptide) levels and quality of life. We analyzed heterogeneity by using the I² statistic and evaluated the evidence quality according to the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) guidelines. Nine randomized controlled trials were included. The evidence indicated that exercise interventions increased the one of the quality of life questionnaire score (mean difference=3.19 [95% CI, 0.23, 6.16]; P=0.03; I²=39%) from the score before the interventions. However, no alterations in exercise capacity, vascular function, NT‐proBNP or quality of life were observed after exercise training. The results of the subgroup analysis showed that NT‐proBNP levels were lower in the group with exercise training than in the group without exercise training over the same duration of follow‐up. The evidence quality was generally assessed to be low.

Conclusions

In conclusion, there is insufficient evidence to suggest that physical exercise improves long‐term follow‐up outcomes of congenital heart disease, although it has some minor effects on quality of life.