Efficacy and Adherence Rates of a Novel Community-Informed Virtual World-Based Cardiac Rehabilitation Program: Protocol for the Destination Cardiac Rehab Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Innovative restructuring of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) delivery remains critical to reduce barriers and improve access to diverse populations. Destination Cardiac Rehab is a novel virtual world technology-based CR program delivered through the virtual world platform, Second Life, which previously demonstrated high acceptability as an extension of traditional center-based CR. This study aims to evaluate efficacy and adherence of the virtual world-based CR program compared with center-based CR within a community-informed, implementation science framework. METHODS: Using a noninferiority, hybrid type 1 effectiveness-implementation, randomized controlled trial, 150 patients with an eligible cardiovascular event will be recruited from 6 geographically diverse CR centers across the United States. Participants will be randomized 1:1 to either the 12-week Destination Cardiac Rehab or the center-based CR control groups. The primary efficacy outcome is a composite cardiovascular health score based on the American Heart Association Life's Essential 8 at 3 and 6 months. Adherence outcomes include CR session attendance and participation in exercise sessions. A diverse patient/caregiver/stakeholder advisory board was assembled to guide recruitment, implementation, and dissemination plans and to contextualize study findings. The institutional review board-approved randomized controlled trial will enroll and randomize patients to the intervention (or control group) in 3 consecutive waves/year over 3 years. The results will be published at data collection and analyses completion. CONCLUSIONS: The Destination Cardiac Rehab randomized controlled trial tests an innovative and potentially scalable model to enhance CR participation and advance health equity. Our findings will inform the use of effective virtual CR programs to expand equitable access to diverse patient populations. REGISTRATION: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT05897710.

Cardio-Oncology Rehabilitation (CORE) Exercise Prescription and Programming: A PRACTICAL GUIDE.

BACKGROUND: Patients with cancer almost universally report diminished health-related quality of life. Many patients experience persistent fatigue and most have below-average exercise capacities. Despite the publication of exercise guidelines for cancer survivors that encourage physical activity, few patients exercise on a regular basis. Cardiovascular disease is a major cause of death in early-stage malignancies. Exercise training has been demonstrated to decrease cardiovascular events in patients with cancer. In addition, regular exercise improves exercise capacity, reduces fatigue, and improves quality of life in cancer survivors. CLINICAL CONSIDERATIONS: A 2019 American Heart Association scientific statement, endorsed by the American Cancer Society, provided a framework and rationale for partnering with existing multidimensional, interdisciplinary outpatient cardiac rehabilitation programs to provide supervised exercise training and risk factor control services for patients with cancer and cancer survivors: cardio-oncology rehabilitation. In addition, the American College of Sports Medicine has published recommendations for cancer exercise training. SUMMARY: This article provides practical suggestions for incorporating patients with cancer into cardiac rehabilitation and for patient-specific exercise prescription. Illustrative patient case examples are provided.

Exercise Training and Cardiovascular Health in Cancer Patients.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Cancer patients nearly universally experience a decline in quality of life, with fatigue and reduced exercise tolerance as cardinal reflections. A routine exercise program can improve these signs and symptoms as well as overall outcomes. The review provides an updated overview of the field and its translation to clinical practice. RECENT FINDINGS: A wealth of clinical studies have documented the safety and benefits of exercise after and during cancer therapy, and pilot and larger-scale studies are currently ongoing to integrate exercise into the treatment program for cancer patients undergoing active therapy (EXACT pilot, OptiTrain, and TITAN study). More recently, efforts have emerged to commence exercise programs before the start of cancer therapy, so-called pre-habilitation. The concept of increasing the cardiovascular reserve beforehand is intuitively attractive. In agreement, preclinical studies support exercise as an effective preventive means before and during cardiotoxic drug exposure. Assuming that a pronounced drop in exercise tolerance will occur during cancer therapy, pre-habilitation can potentially curtail or raise the nadir level of exercise tolerance. Furthermore, such efforts might serve as pre-conditioning efforts in reducing not only the nadir, but even the magnitude of drop in cardiovascular reserve. Initiated beforehand, cancer patients are also more likely to continue these efforts during cancer therapy. Finally, an active exercise routine (≥ 150 min/week moderate intensity or ≥ 75 min/week vigorous intensity or combination) in conjunction with the other six American Heart Association's cardiovascular health metrics (BMI < 25 kg/m2, blood pressure < 120/80 mmHg, fasting plasma glucose < 100 mg/dL, total cholesterol < 200 mg/dL, 4-5 component healthy diet, no smoking) reduces not only the cardiovascular but also the cancer disease risk. Exercise can reduce the risks of developing cancer, the detrimental effects of its treatment on the cardiovascular system, and overall morbidity and mortality. Exercise should become an integral part of the care for every cancer patient.