PT in PAH
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Can the Quality of life for patients with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension be improved and sustained through exercise with a personal trainer?
IRAS ID
133237
Contact name
Stephen John Wort
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Imperial College London
Research summary
The purpose of this study is to find the best way to improve lifestyle for patients with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH) through regular exercise. PAH is a disease causing high blood pressure in the blood vessels in the lungs. Despite best medical and surgical treatment, patients with PAH suffer with many associated medical complications which can in turn lead to an early death (Lowe 2011). One cause for the increase in associated complications with these patients is poor fitness which results in reduced quality of life (Mainguy 2010). Exercise training has been shown to be safe and can improve patient’s fitness and the quality of their lifestyle. The best way to provide exercise to this patient group is as not yet known (Grunig 2012, Mereles 2006). By carrying out this study we hope to find out whether a regular and individualised exercise programme with a personal trainer improves patients symptoms, energy levels to carry out more activity during the day and quality of life. We would also like to find out in what way the patients body and PAH responds to the exercise programme.
The Royal Brompton Hospital is a tertiary centre which means that patients often live some distance from the hospital. Patients who meet the entry criteria for the study will be registered in the study once valid informed consent has been obtained. Patients will be provided with an individualised exercise programme for 6 weeks and randomly allocated into one of two groups; both groups will be exercising in their own home or other suitable local environment. Group one will be seen and monitored by a personal trainer once a week and Group two will exercise independently.
It is important to stress that this research will not alter patients usual treatment in any way.
The study will be 16 weeks in total.REC name
London - Brighton & Sussex Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/LO/0669
Date of REC Opinion
29 May 2014
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion