Physical activity is increased by a 12 week semi-automated telecoaching program in patients with COPD, a multicenter randomized controlled trial
File(s)
Published version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Rationale
Reduced physical activity (PA) in patients with COPD is associated with a poor prognosis. Increasing PA is a key therapeutic target, but thus far few strategies have been found effective in this patient group.
Objectives
To investigate the effectiveness of a 12 week semi-automated telecoaching intervention on PA in COPD patients in a multicenter European RCT.
Methods
343 patients from 6 centers, including a wide disease spectrum, were randomly allocated to either a usual care group (UCG) or a telecoaching intervention group (IG) between June and December 2014. This 12 weeks intervention included an exercise booklet and a step counter providing feedback both directly and via a dedicated smartphone application. The latter provided an individualized daily activity goal (steps) revised weekly and text messages as well as allowing occasional telephone contacts with investigators. Physical activity was measured using accelerometry during 1 week preceding randomization and during week 12. Secondary outcomes included exercise capacity and health status. Analyses were based on intention-to-treat.
Main results
Both groups were comparable at baseline in terms of factors influencing PA. At 12 weeks, the intervention yielded a between group difference of mean, 95% [ll-ul] +1469, 95% [971 – 1965] steps.day-1 and +10.4, 95% [6.1 - 14.7] min.day-1 moderate physical activity; favoring the IG (all p≤0.001). The change in six minute walk distance was significantly different (13.4, 95% [3.40 - 23.5]m, p<0.01), favoring the IG. In IG patients an improvement could be observed in the functional state domain of the CCQ (p=0.03), when compared to UCG. Other health status outcomes did not differ.
Conclusions
The amount and intensity of PA can be significantly increased in COPD patients using a 12 week semi-automated telecoaching intervention including a stepcounter and an application installed on a smartphone.
Reduced physical activity (PA) in patients with COPD is associated with a poor prognosis. Increasing PA is a key therapeutic target, but thus far few strategies have been found effective in this patient group.
Objectives
To investigate the effectiveness of a 12 week semi-automated telecoaching intervention on PA in COPD patients in a multicenter European RCT.
Methods
343 patients from 6 centers, including a wide disease spectrum, were randomly allocated to either a usual care group (UCG) or a telecoaching intervention group (IG) between June and December 2014. This 12 weeks intervention included an exercise booklet and a step counter providing feedback both directly and via a dedicated smartphone application. The latter provided an individualized daily activity goal (steps) revised weekly and text messages as well as allowing occasional telephone contacts with investigators. Physical activity was measured using accelerometry during 1 week preceding randomization and during week 12. Secondary outcomes included exercise capacity and health status. Analyses were based on intention-to-treat.
Main results
Both groups were comparable at baseline in terms of factors influencing PA. At 12 weeks, the intervention yielded a between group difference of mean, 95% [ll-ul] +1469, 95% [971 – 1965] steps.day-1 and +10.4, 95% [6.1 - 14.7] min.day-1 moderate physical activity; favoring the IG (all p≤0.001). The change in six minute walk distance was significantly different (13.4, 95% [3.40 - 23.5]m, p<0.01), favoring the IG. In IG patients an improvement could be observed in the functional state domain of the CCQ (p=0.03), when compared to UCG. Other health status outcomes did not differ.
Conclusions
The amount and intensity of PA can be significantly increased in COPD patients using a 12 week semi-automated telecoaching intervention including a stepcounter and an application installed on a smartphone.
Date Issued
2017-04-10
Date Acceptance
2016-11-28
Citation
Thorax, 2017, 72, pp.415-423
ISSN
1468-3296
Publisher
BMJ Publishing Group
Start Page
415
End Page
423
Journal / Book Title
Thorax
Volume
72
Copyright Statement
© 2017 The Authors. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. This is an Open Access article distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Subjects
Science & Technology
Life Sciences & Biomedicine
Respiratory System
OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY-DISEASE
ACTIVITY MONITORS
LIFE
REHABILITATION
ADULTS
INACTIVITY
STEPS/DAY
OUTCOMES
SOCIETY
TESTS
Exercise
Pulmonary Rehabilitation
1103 Clinical Sciences
Publication Status
Published