Supervised Exercise Therapy Programs Research Articles

Socioeconomic factors predict successful supervised exercise therapy completion

ObjectiveSupervised exercise therapy (SET) for patients with intermittent claudication (IC) can lower the risk of progression to chronic limb-threatening ischemia and amputation, while preserving and restoring functional status. Despite supporting evidence, it remains underutilized, and among those who initiate programs, attrition rates are extremely high. We hypothesize that socioeconomic factors may represent significant barriers to SET completion. MethodsPatients with IC referred to SET at a multi-hospital, single-institution health care system (2018-2022) from a prospectively maintained database were retrospectively analyzed. Our primary endpoint was SET program completion and graduation, defined as completion of 36 sessions. Our secondary endpoints were vascular intervention within 1 year of referral and change in ankle-brachial index (ABI). Baseline demographics were assessed using standard statistical methods. Predictors of SET graduation were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression generating adjusted odds ratios (aORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Change in ABI was analyzed using t-test between subgroups. Reasons for attrition were tabulated. Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), metabolic equivalent level, Vascular QOL, Duke Activity Status, and ABI were analyzed using paired t-tests across the entire cohort. ResultsFifty-two patients met inclusion criteria: mean age 67.85 ± 10.69 years, 19 females (36.54%), mean baseline ABI of 0.77 ± 0.16. The co-pays for 100% of patients were fully covered by primary and secondary insurance plans. Twenty-one patients (40.38%) completed SET. On multivariable analysis, residence in a ZIP code with median household income <$47,000 (aOR, 0.10; 95% CI, 0.01-0.76; P = .03) and higher body mass index (aOR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.67-0.99; P = .04) were significant barriers to SET graduation. There were no differences in ABI change or vascular intervention within 1 year between graduates and non-graduates. Non-graduates reported transportation challenges (25.00%), lack of motivation (20.83%), and illness/functional limitation (20.83%) as primary reasons for SET attrition. Metabolic Equivalent Level (P ≤ .01) and Duke Activity Status scores (P = .04) were significantly greater after participating in a SET program. ConclusionsAlthough SET participation improves lower extremity and functionality outcomes, only 40% of referred patients completed therapy in our cohort. Our findings suggest that both socioeconomic and functional factors influence the odds of completing SET programs, indicating a need for holistic pre-referral assessment to facilitate enhanced program accessibility for these populations.

Supervised exercise training in patients with lower extremity peripheral artery disease

Summary: The optimal first line management of patients with symptomatic chronic lower extremity peripheral artery disease (PAD) includes secondary prevention of cardiovascular risk factors, pharmacological treatment, and supervised exercise therapy (SET). SET programs have shown to be effective in improving walking performance, functional performance, and quality of life. However, despite a large body of evidence, and despite national and international guidelines recommending SET as first line therapy, SET remains largely underused in patients with chronic PAD. This position paper aims to describe how SET is perceived, its accessibility and structure through Europe. An anonymous web-based survey was used. It comprised 21 questions developed in conjunction with an angiologist and a clinical exercise physiologist specialist in vascular rehabilitation. We had 131 responders from 17 countries. For patients with PAD, SET programs exist only in 59% of European countries. SET reimbursement is available in 41% of countries. SET programs showed to be heterogeneous across countries. Thirty-four percent of the SET programs are PAD-dedicated, while 23% are part of a cardiac rehabilitation program. In addition, among existing SET programs, 65% are dedicated to symptomatic patients with PAD only, 9% to both asymptomatic and symptomatic, 8% to post-revascularized patients only, and 1% to asymptomatic patients with PAD only. Finally, 17% reported not knowing which patients are eligible for enrolment in a SET program. Duration, frequency, and modality of SET also varied from country to country. Overall, these data indicate that a large variability of SET availability and characteristics exists across Europe. Therefore, there is an urgent need to provide detailed guidance to deliver optimal exercise therapeutic care in patients with PAD.

Exercise therapy in routine management of peripheral arterial disease and intermittent claudication: a scoping review.

Background:Little is known about the extent to which routine care management of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and intermittent claudication (IC) align with best practice recommendations on exercise therapy. We conducted a scoping review to examine the published literature on the availability and workings of exercise therapy in the routine management of patients with PAD and IC, and the attitude and practice of health professionals and patients.Methods:A systematic search was conducted in February 2018. The Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Ovid MEDLINE, Allied and Complementary Medicine Database, ScienceDirect, Web of Science and the Directory of Open Access Repositories were searched. Hand searching of reference lists of identified studies was also performed. Inclusion criteria were based on study aim, and included studies that reported on the perceptions, practices, and workings of routine exercise programs for patients with IC, their availability, access, and perceived barriers.Results:Eight studies met the eligibility criteria and were included in the review. Studies conducted within Europe were included. Findings indicated that vascular surgeons in parts of Europe generally recognize supervised exercise therapy as a best practice treatment for IC, but do not often refer their patients for supervised exercise therapy due to the unavailability of, or lack of access to supervised exercise therapy programs. Available supervised exercise therapy programs do not implement best practice recommendations, and in the majority, patients only undergo one session per week. Some challenges were cited as the cause of the suboptimal program implementation. These included issues related to patients’ engagement and adherence as well as resource constraints.Conclusion:There is a dearth of published research on exercise therapy in the routine management of PAD and IC. Available data from a few countries within Europe indicated that supervised exercise is underutilized despite health professionals recognizing the benefits. Research is needed to understand how to improve the availability, access, uptake, and adherence to the best exercise recommendations in the routine management of people with PAD and IC.

A multicenter randomized controlled study to evaluate whether neuromuscular electrical stimulation improves the absolute walking distance in patients with intermittent claudication compared with best available treatment

ObjectiveTo assess the clinical efficacy of a neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) device to improve the absolute walking distance in patients with intermittent claudication as an adjunct to the local standard care available at the study sites compared with local standard care alone. MethodsThis open, multicenter, randomized controlled trial included eight participating centers in England. Sites are equally distributed between those that provide supervised exercise therapy programs and those that do not. Patients with intermittent claudication meeting the eligibility criteria and providing consent will be randomized, depending on the center type, to either NMES and locally available standard care or standard care alone. The primary end point is change in absolute walking distance at 3 months (the end of the intervention period) by treadmill testing. Secondary outcomes include quality of life, compliance with the interventions, economic evaluation of the NMES device, and lower limb hemodynamic measures to further the understanding of underlying mechanisms. Recruitment commenced in March 2018 and will continue for a total of 15 months. The Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation Improves the Absolute Walking Distance in Patients with Intermittent Claudication trial is funded by the UK Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation Programme, Medical Research Council, and National Institute for Health Research partnership.

What is the evidence to support early supervised exercise therapy after primary total knee replacement? A systematic review and meta-analysis

BackgroundTotal knee replacement (TKR) patients participate in early supervised exercise therapy programs, despite a lack of evidence for such programs or the optimal type, duration or frequency to provide the best clinical outcomes. As hospital stay rates decrease worldwide, the first days after joint replacement surgery are of increasing clinical importance. The purpose of this study was to investigate any reported effects of published early exercise therapy following TKR surgery.MethodsDatabases PubMed, CINAHL, Embase, Cochrane, and Pedro were searched up to August 2018 for trials which investigated an early supervised exercise therapy, commencing within 48 h of surgery. Risk of bias was evaluated using a Modified Downs and Black Checklist and meta-analysis of results was conducted using Review Manager (RevMan). Standardised Mean Differences (SMD) or Mean Differences (MD) and 95% confidence intervals were calculated and combined in meta-analyses.ResultsFour studies (323 patients) that used four different interventions were identified, including Modified Quadriceps Setting, Flexion Splinting, Passive Flexion Ranging and a Drop and Dangle Flexion regime. Patients receiving the Drop and Dangle flexion protocol had superior flexion in the first 2 days after TKR and at discharge, the Flexion Splint patients were discharged earlier and had greater flexion at 6-weeks postoperatively, and the Modified Quadriceps Setting group showed greater hamstring and gluteal muscle strength. Results of the methodological quality assessment showed included studies were of moderate quality. The meta-analysis included 3 of the 4 trials and found no significant differences between groups in maximum knee flexion (MD = 1.34; 95% CI, − 5.55–8.24) or knee society scores (MD = − 1.17; 95% CI, − 4.32–1.98) assessed at 6 weeks post-operatively.ConclusionThe paucity and heterogeneity of existing studies that examine early supervised exercise therapy following TKR surgery makes it challenging for clinicians to deliver high-quality evidence-based exercise programs in the early postoperative period. Although superior knee flexion range was found across differing regimes, the meta-analysis showed no significant difference in this outcome between groups at 6 weeks. The results of this review show high quality randomized clinical trials are urgently needed to evaluate the impact of early exercise following TKR surgery.Trial RegistrationThis review was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42017081016).

Multicenter randomized clinical trial of supervised exercise therapy with or without feedback versus walking advice for intermittent claudication

The initial treatment for intermittent claudication is supervised exercise therapy (SET). Owing to limited capacity and patient transports costs of clinic-based SET, a concept of SET provided by local physiotherapists was developed. We hypothesized that provision of daily feedback with an accelerometer in addition to SET would further increase walking distance. This multicenter randomized trial was set in vascular surgery outpatient clinics and included 304 patients with intermittent claudication. Patients were randomized to exercise therapy in the form of "go home and walk" advice (WA), SET, or SET with feedback. Local physiotherapists provided SET. The primary outcome measure was the change in absolute claudication distance. Secondary outcomes were the change in functional claudication distance and results on the Walking Impairment Questionnaire (WIQ) and Short-Form 36 (SF-36) Health Survey after 12 months. In 11 centers, 102, 109, and 93 patients were included, respectively, in the WA, SET, and SET with feedback groups, and data for 83, 93, and 76, respectively, could be analyzed. The median (interquartile range) change in walking distance between 12 months and baseline in meters was 110 (0-300) in the WA group, 310 (145-995) in the SET group, and 360 (173-697) in the SET with feedback group (P < .001 WA vs SET). WIQ scores and relevant domains of the SF-36 improved statistically significantly in the SET groups. SET is more effective than WA in improving walking distance, WIQ scores, and quality of life for patients with intermittent claudication. Additional feedback with an accelerometer did not result in further improvement. SET programs should be made available for all patients with intermittent claudication.