Lay health worker research personnel for home-based data collection in clinical and translational research: Qualitative and quantitative findings from two trials in hard-to-reach populations.

Aims: The role of lay health workers in data collection for clinical and translational research studies is not well described. We explored lay health workers as data collectors in clinical and translational research studies. We also present several methods for examining their work, i.e., qualitative interviews, fidelity checklists, and rates of unusable/missing data. Methods: We conducted 2 randomized, controlled trials that employed lay health research personnel (LHR) who were employed by community-based organizations. In one study, n = 3 Latina LHRs worked with n = 107 Latino diabetic participants. In another study, n = 6 LHR worked with n = 188 Cambodian American refugees with depression. We investigated proficiency in biological, behavioral, and psychosocial home-based data collection conducted by LHR. We also conducted in-depth interviews with lay LHR to explore their experience in this research role. Finally, we described the training, supervision, and collaboration for LHR to be successful in their research role. Results: Independent observers reported a very high degree of fidelity to technical data collection protocols (>95%) and low rates of missing/unusable data (1.5%-11%). Qualitative results show that trust, training, communication, and supervision are key and that LHR report feeling empowered by their role. LHR training included various content areas over several weeks with special attention to LHR and participant safety. Training and supervision from both the academic researchers and the staff at the community-based organizations were necessary and had to be well-coordinated. Conclusions: Carefully selected, trained, and supervised LHRs can collect sophisticated data for community-based clinical and translational research.

Vigorous Exercise in Patients With Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.

Importance: Whether vigorous intensity exercise is associated with an increase in risk of ventricular arrhythmias in individuals with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is unknown. Objective: To determine whether engagement in vigorous exercise is associated with increased risk for ventricular arrhythmias and/or mortality in individuals with HCM. The a priori hypothesis was that participants engaging in vigorous activity were not more likely to have an arrhythmic event or die than those who reported nonvigorous activity. Design, Setting, and Participants: This was an investigator-initiated, prospective cohort study. Participants were enrolled from May 18, 2015, to April 25, 2019, with completion in February 28, 2022. Participants were categorized according to self-reported levels of physical activity: sedentary, moderate, or vigorous-intensity exercise. This was a multicenter, observational registry with recruitment at 42 high-volume HCM centers in the US and internationally; patients could also self-enroll through the central site. Individuals aged 8 to 60 years diagnosed with HCM or genotype positive without left ventricular hypertrophy (phenotype negative) without conditions precluding exercise were enrolled. Exposures: Amount and intensity of physical activity. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary prespecified composite end point included death, resuscitated sudden cardiac arrest, arrhythmic syncope, and appropriate shock from an implantable cardioverter defibrillator. All outcome events were adjudicated by an events committee blinded to the patient's exercise category. Results: Among the 1660 total participants (mean [SD] age, 39 [15] years; 996 male [60%]), 252 (15%) were classified as sedentary, and 709 (43%) participated in moderate exercise. Among the 699 individuals (42%) who participated in vigorous-intensity exercise, 259 (37%) participated competitively. A total of 77 individuals (4.6%) reached the composite end point. These individuals included 44 (4.6%) of those classified as nonvigorous and 33 (4.7%) of those classified as vigorous, with corresponding rates of 15.3 and 15.9 per 1000 person-years, respectively. In multivariate Cox regression analysis of the primary composite end point, individuals engaging in vigorous exercise did not experience a higher rate of events compared with the nonvigorous group with an adjusted hazard ratio of 1.01. The upper 95% 1-sided confidence level was 1.48, which was below the prespecified boundary of 1.5 for noninferiority. Conclusions and Relevance: Results of this cohort study suggest that among individuals with HCM or those who are genotype positive/phenotype negative and are treated in experienced centers, those exercising vigorously did not experience a higher rate of death or life-threatening arrhythmias than those exercising moderately or those who were sedentary. These data may inform discussion between the patient and their expert clinician around exercise participation.

Safety of sports for athletes with implantable cardioverter-defibrillators: results of a prospective, multinational registry.

BACKGROUND: The risks of sports participation for implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) patients are unknown. METHODS AND RESULTS: Athletes with ICDs (age, 10-60 years) participating in organized (n=328) or high-risk (n=44) sports were recruited. Sports-related and clinical data were obtained by phone interview and medical records. Follow-up occurred every 6 months. ICD shock data and clinical outcomes were adjudicated by 2 electrophysiologists. Median age was 33 years (89 subjects <20 years of age); 33% were female. Sixty were competitive athletes (varsity/junior varsity/traveling team). A pre-ICD history of ventricular arrhythmia was present in 42%. Running, basketball, and soccer were the most common sports. Over a median 31-month (interquartile range, 21-46 months) follow-up, there were no occurrences of either primary end point-death or resuscitated arrest or arrhythmia- or shock-related injury-during sports. There were 49 shocks in 37 participants (10% of study population) during competition/practice, 39 shocks in 29 participants (8%) during other physical activity, and 33 shocks in 24 participants (6%) at rest. In 8 ventricular arrhythmia episodes (device defined), multiple shocks were received: 1 at rest, 4 during competition/practice, and 3 during other physical activity. Ultimately, the ICD terminated all episodes. Freedom from lead malfunction was 97% at 5 years (from implantation) and 90% at 10 years. CONCLUSIONS: Many athletes with ICDs can engage in vigorous and competitive sports without physical injury or failure to terminate the arrhythmia despite the occurrence of both inappropriate and appropriate shocks. These data provide a basis for more informed physician and patient decision making in terms of sports participation for athletes with ICDs.