Home-Based Exercise Tele-Rehabilitation After COVID-19 (BOOST)

November 3, 2026 updated by: VA Office of Research and Development

Home-Based Exercise Tele-Rehabilitation in High-Risk Veterans: Impact of COVID-19 Exposure and Socioeconomic Factors

The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has resulted in catastrophic infections and fatalities across the nation. Many older Veterans with comorbidities are especially vulnerable to complications and poor recovery. This award will investigate the effect of a novel, home-based, supervised, group exercise tele-rehabilitation in Veterans recovered from COVID-19 on cardiopulmonary and physical function.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

There is an urgent need to understand the lasting impact of COVID-19 on the cardiopulmonary system to improve physical function and prevent long-lasting disability. Pertinent knowledge gaps regarding the post-recovery physiology driving any impairments need to be addressed to improve the quality of life in Veterans with prior SARS-CoV-2 infection. Further, it is important to devise successful rehabilitation strategies that can be safely conducted in a Veteran's home. Hence, the investigators propose to utilize VA Video Connect to deliver a home based, supervised group exercise program to Veteran COVID-19 survivors. The objective of this exercise trial is to determine the influence of COVID-19 on cardiorespiratory fitness, pulmonary and physical function and to investigate the effect of a home-based exercise tele-rehabilitation on these outcomes. The study design includes rural and urban sites and investigators with a history of VA rehabilitation collaboration. Moreover, the investigators will explore healthcare disparities related to COVID-19 which are associated with functional decline and may affect sustainability of exercise rehabilitation strategies deployed, if necessary, under social distancing restrictions.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
80

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Maryland
      • Baltimore, Maryland, United States, 21201
        • Recruiting
        • Baltimore VA Medical Center VA Maryland Health Care System, Baltimore, MD
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Alice S. Ryan, PhD
        • Contact:

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

50 years to 85 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Veteran
  • documented COVID-19 > 90 days ago
  • diagnosis of 2 of following conditions: hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease OR 1 condition and BMI > 30 kilograms per square meter (kg/m2)

Exclusion Criteria:

  • myocardial infarction (within 3 months)
  • exertional or unstable angina (chest pain that limits activity)
  • severe congestive heart failure (EF < 20% in last year or NYHA Classification III or IV)
  • uncontrolled hypertension (systolic blood pressure>180 &/or diastolic blood pressure> 110 millimeters of mercury at screening)
  • screening electrocardiogram (EKG) with ischemia, complex arrhythmia, or high-grade block (per Minnesota Code)
  • poorly controlled diabetes mellitus (fasting blood sugar>200 milligrams per deciliter, random blood sugar > 299 milligrams per deciliter, or HbA1C > 10)
  • treatment for cancer except skin cancer (within 3 months)
  • peripheral vascular disease with claudication
  • severe arthritis limiting ambulation
  • neurologic disease limiting ambulation (weakness requiring assist device; severe neuropathy)
  • end stage liver disease (decompensated liver disease)
  • End stage renal failure (dialysis)
  • severe pulmonary disease (home oxygen, admission for dyspnea or pneumonia within 1 month)
  • high fall risk (history of falls, bone fracture)
  • dementia (based on Evaluation to Consent)
  • signs or symptoms of any medical comorbidity that would preclude exercise testing or training
  • exercises on routine basis (structured aerobic exercise > 3 times per week)

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: N/A
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Tele-exercise

Exercise training 2x/week at home. Sessions include circuit exercises of aerobic and resistive training stations which are led remotely.
Other: Tele-exercise

Exercise training 2x/week at home. Sessions include circuit exercises of aerobic and resistive training stations which are led remotely.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in volume of oxygen (VO2) peak
Time Frame: Baseline and after 12 weeks tele-exercise

physical fitness, units are milliliters of oxygen per kilogram per minute (ml/kg/min)
Baseline and after 12 weeks tele-exercise

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in 2-minute step test
Time Frame: Baseline and after 12 weeks tele-exercise

physical function, units are number of times
Baseline and after 12 weeks tele-exercise
chair stands
Time Frame: Baseline and after 12 weeks tele-exercise

muscular strength, units are number of times
Baseline and after 12 weeks tele-exercise

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
VA Office of Research and Development

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
Baltimore VA Medical Center
Salem Veterans Affairs Medical Center

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Alice S. Ryan, PhD, Baltimore VA Medical Center VA Maryland Health Care System, Baltimore, MD

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
June 29, 2023

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
September 30, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
June 30, 2028

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
June 16, 2022

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
June 16, 2022

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
June 21, 2022

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
November 6, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
November 3, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
November 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • F3639-R
  • 5I01RX003639-02 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

Cookie Settings

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. For more details carefully read our Privacy and Cookies Policy. ...>>>You can change your preferences or withdraw your consent at any time by deleting the cookies from your website or computer as described in the policy. Please accept it and choose your preferences by ticking the corresponding boxes in the "Manage Settings" section below. Please carefully read our Terms of Service before you proceed with using any part of this website.
«Manage Settings