Remote Exercise Program for Pediatric ICU Survivors

July 28, 2026 updated by: Sung Eun Hyun, Seoul National University Hospital

Feasibility Study of a Remote Exercise Intervention Program for Preventing Post-Intensive Care Syndrome in Pediatric Critical Illness Survivors

This pilot clinical trial aims to evaluate the feasibility and safety of a remote exercise intervention program designed to prevent pediatric post-intensive care syndrome (PICS-p) in children discharged from the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). Children aged 3 to 18 years who received intensive care for at least 48 hours and have not recovered to their pre-admission functional status will participate in an individualized home-based exercise program for 12 weeks. The intervention includes remotely supervised exercise sessions, prescribed self-exercise, and weekly monitoring using videoconferencing. Study assessments will be performed at baseline, immediately before intervention initiation, monthly during the 12-week intervention, and 1 month after completion of the intervention to evaluate feasibility, safety, functional recovery, and maintenance of treatment effects.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Not yet 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

Pediatric survivors of critical illness are at risk of developing pediatric post-intensive care syndrome (PICS-p), which includes physical, cognitive, emotional, and social impairments that may persist after discharge from the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). Although early rehabilitation is recognized as an important strategy for improving recovery, sustained rehabilitation after hospital discharge remains challenging because of barriers such as repeated hospital visits and limited accessibility.

The purpose of this single-arm pilot clinical trial is to evaluate the feasibility and safety of a remote exercise intervention program for children at risk of PICS-p after PICU discharge and to generate preliminary data for a future confirmatory clinical trial.

Eligible participants are children aged 3 to 18 years who received treatment in the PICU for at least 48 hours and have not recovered to their pre-admission functional status. Participants will receive an individualized home-based exercise program consisting of remotely supervised exercise sessions, prescribed self-exercise using instructional video content, and weekly monitoring and feedback through videoconferencing.

The intervention will be delivered over 12 weeks. Outcome assessments will be conducted after PICU discharge (baseline), immediately before intervention initiation, monthly during the intervention, and 1 month after completion of the intervention to evaluate maintenance of treatment effects.

The primary outcomes include feasibility and safety, including adherence, completion rate, user satisfaction, adverse events, and reasons for discontinuation. Secondary outcomes include exploratory changes in physical function, respiratory function, balance, gait speed, muscle strength, motor performance, physical activity, activities of daily living, disability, quality of life, anxiety, and depressive symptoms. The findings will be used to optimize the intervention protocol and support the design of a future confirmatory clinical trial.

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.
10

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

  • South Korea
      • Seoul, South Korea, 03080
        • Seoul National University Hospital
        • 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

  • Child
  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Age 3 to 18 years.
  • Discharged from the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) after at least 48 hours of treatment.
  • Has not recovered to the pre-PICU level of physical function (walking and mobility), confirmed using the Pediatric Overall Performance Category Scale (POPC) and the Gross Motor Function Classification System Family Report Questionnaire (GMFCS Family Report).
  • Has sufficient cognitive and physical ability to understand and participate in the home-based exercise intervention.
  • Able to maintain adequate attention for exercise training, assessed using the Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale (RASS) and age-appropriate delirium assessment (psCAM-ICU or pCAM-ICU), when applicable.
  • Written informed consent provided by the parent or legal guardian.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Newly developed neuromuscular disease after PICU admission that prevents participation in the video-based exercise program without therapist assistance.
  • Medical conditions, indwelling catheters, or implanted medical devices requiring restriction of limb movement.
  • Language or cognitive impairment that prevents understanding of the video-based exercise program.
  • Uncontrolled hypertension, arrhythmia, persistent fever due to infection, or any condition making exercise unsafe.
  • Declines to participate in the study.

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: Prevention
  • 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: Remote Exercise Intervention
Participants will receive an individualized home-based remote exercise intervention program for 12 weeks following discharge from the pediatric intensive care unit. The intervention includes individualized exercise prescription, instructional exercise videos, prescribed self-exercise, and weekly monitoring and feedback through videoconferencing.
Behavioral: Remote Exercise Intervention Program
Participants will receive an individualized home-based remote exercise intervention program for 12 weeks. The intervention consists of individualized exercise prescription, instructional exercise videos, prescribed self-exercise, and weekly monitoring and feedback through videoconferencing. The exercise program will be tailored and progressively adjusted according to each participant's functional status and clinical progress.

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
Exercise Adherence Rate
Time Frame: Baseline through Week 12
Exercise adherence rate will be calculated as the percentage of prescribed exercise sessions completed by each participant during the 12-week remote exercise intervention.
Baseline through Week 12
Exercise Completion Rate
Time Frame: At Week 12
Exercise completion rate will be calculated as the percentage of participants who complete the 12-week remote exercise intervention as specified in the study protocol.
At Week 12
Participant Satisfaction Score
Time Frame: Pre-intervention and at Months 1, 2, 3, and 4
Participant satisfaction with the remote exercise intervention will be assessed using a study-specific satisfaction questionnaire at pre-intervention and at Months 1, 2, 3, and 4. Total scores range from 6 to 30, with higher scores indicating greater satisfaction.
Pre-intervention and at Months 1, 2, 3, and 4
Intervention-Related Adverse Events
Time Frame: Baseline through Month 4
The number of intervention-related adverse events occurring during the study period will be recorded.
Baseline through Month 4
Exercise Intervention Discontinuation
Time Frame: Baseline through Week 12
The number of participants who discontinue the remote exercise intervention will be recorded. Reasons for discontinuation will also be documented.
Baseline through Week 12

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
Muscle Thickness by Ultrasound
Time Frame: Baseline through 12 weeks
Muscle thickness and muscle quality will be assessed using ultrasound to evaluate changes in skeletal muscle following the intervention.
Baseline through 12 weeks
Medical Research Council Sum Score (MRC-SS)
Time Frame: Baseline through Week 12
Muscle strength will be assessed using the Medical Research Council Sum Score (MRC-SS). Total scores range from 0 to 60, with higher scores indicating greater muscle strength.
Baseline through Week 12
Hand Grip Strength
Time Frame: Baseline through 12 weeks
Hand grip strength will be measured using a hand dynamometer and recorded in kilograms (kg). Higher values indicate greater hand grip strength.
Baseline through 12 weeks
Body Weight
Time Frame: Baseline through 12 weeks
Body weight will be measured using a digital scale and recorded in kilograms (kg) to monitor physical changes during the intervention.
Baseline through 12 weeks
Sit and Reach Test
Time Frame: Baseline through 12 weeks
Flexibility will be assessed using the Sit and Reach Test.
Baseline through 12 weeks
Maximal Inspiratory Pressure (MIP)
Time Frame: Baseline through Week 12
Inspiratory muscle strength will be assessed using maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP), measured in centimeters of water pressure (cmH₂O). Higher values indicate greater inspiratory muscle strength.
Baseline through Week 12
Maximal Expiratory Pressure (MEP)
Time Frame: Baseline through Week 12
Expiratory muscle strength will be assessed using maximal expiratory pressure (MEP), measured in centimeters of water pressure (cmH₂O). Higher values indicate greater expiratory muscle strength.
Baseline through Week 12
Peak Cough Flow (PCF)
Time Frame: Baseline through Week 12
Cough effectiveness will be assessed using peak cough flow (PCF), measured in liters per minute (L/min). Higher values indicate better cough function.
Baseline through Week 12
Pediatric Balance Scale
Time Frame: Baseline through Week 12
Balance function will be assessed using the Pediatric Balance Scale. Total scores range from 0 to 56, with higher scores indicating better balance function.
Baseline through Week 12
10 Meter Walk Test
Time Frame: Baseline through 12 weeks
Walking ability will be assessed using the 10 Meter Walk Test. Walking speed will be recorded in meters per second (m/s). Higher values indicate faster walking speed.
Baseline through 12 weeks
Movement Assessment Battery for Children-3 (MABC-3)
Time Frame: Baseline through Week 12
Motor performance will be assessed using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-3 (MABC-3). Total standard scores range from 1 to 19, with higher scores indicating better motor performance.
Baseline through Week 12
Physical Activity
Time Frame: Baseline through Week 16
Physical activity will be continuously monitored using a smartwatch and quantified as metabolic equivalents (METs). Higher MET values indicate greater physical activity levels.
Baseline through Week 16
Modified Barthel Index
Time Frame: Baseline through 16 weeks
Functional independence in activities of daily living will be assessed using the Modified Barthel Index. Total scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating greater functional independence in activities of daily living.
Baseline through 16 weeks
Modified Rankin Scale
Time Frame: Baseline through 16 weeks
Overall functional disability will be assessed using the Modified Rankin Scale. Total scores range from 0 to 6, with higher scores indicating greater functional disability.
Baseline through 16 weeks
Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory 4.0 (PedsQL 4.0) Generic Core Scales
Time Frame: Baseline through 16 weeks
Health-related quality of life will be assessed using the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory 4.0 (PedsQL 4.0) Generic Core Scales. Total scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating better health-related quality of life.
Baseline through 16 weeks
PROMIS Parent Proxy Anxiety
Time Frame: Baseline through 16 weeks
Anxiety symptoms will be assessed using the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Parent Proxy Anxiety (Short Form 8a v2.0). Raw summed scores range from 8 to 40 and are converted to standardized T-scores for analysis. Higher T-scores indicate greater anxiety symptoms.
Baseline through 16 weeks
PROMIS Parent Proxy Depressive Symptoms
Time Frame: Baseline through 16 weeks
Depressive symptoms will be assessed using the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Parent Proxy Depressive Symptoms (Short Form 6a v2.0). Raw summed scores range from 6 to 30 and are converted to standardized T-scores for analysis. Higher T-scores indicate greater depressive symptoms.
Baseline through 16 weeks

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.
Seoul National University Hospital

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: Sung Eun Hyun, M.D., Ph.D., Seoul National University Hospital

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 (Estimated)

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.
September 1, 2026

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.
March 1, 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.
March 1, 2027

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).
July 23, 2026

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.
July 28, 2026

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.
August 3, 2026

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.
August 3, 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.
July 28, 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.
July 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.
  • H-2606-206-1764

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

IPD Plan Description

Individual participant data are not planned to be shared.

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

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