CHF Inpatient Ambulation Trial

August 28, 2019 updated by: Lancaster General Hospital
There is an overwhelming amount of deconditioning that occurs during the hospitalization to a patient admitted with a primary diagnosis of congestive heart failure. The goals of this study are to determine if monitored activity and aggressive mobility provides improved outcomes in hospitalized heart failure patients.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Detailed Description

By implementing an ambulatory study, the goal is to decrease the hospital length of stay by half of a day, decrease the percentage of patients being discharged to an extended nursing care facility, and improve quality of life for the patient. Fiscal year 2014 the average length of stay for a CHF patient at Lancaster General Health was 6.0, and as of fiscal year 2015 this was decreased to 5.8. According to Harlan M Krumbholz's theory of post hospital syndrome, patients are subjected to a time of increased risk of impaired stamina, coordination, strength and readmission for about thirty days after discharge due to deconditioning during their hospitalization. By implementing the ambulatory study, the hope is to prevent such extensive deconditioning to help improve the patient's quality of life after discharge; thereby reducing length of stay, discharges to skilled nursing facilities, 30 day readmissions and costs.

The advent of wearable activity and/or health monitors in the health and fitness industry segment has the potential to revolutionize the industry. More importantly, these devices allow new variables to be collected to provide an impact on patients' care and outcome such as steps taken per day.

The intention of the ambulation study is to prevent hospital acquired deconditioning; which in turn would not only decrease the length of stay, but also improve the discharge disposition and place them at home rather than hospice, an extended care facility or rehab. Not only is the intent of the study to decrease the length of stay and also improve the patient's disposition, but also improve their quality of life. In addition, the study will test the effectiveness of the addition of a mobility aide to assist with patients walking on the nursing units.

Study Type

Observational

Enrollment (Anticipated)

352

Contacts and Locations

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

Study Locations

    • Pennsylvania
      • Lancaster, Pennsylvania, United States, 17604
        • Lancaster General Hospital

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

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Patients entering the Lancaster General Hospital heart failure unit (5 East or 5 West) will be evaluated with a 2 minute walk test and if able to complete this test will be offered the opportunity to enroll/consent for participation.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Diagnosis of heart failure
  • The heart group as attending or consultant
  • Patient on 5 West at the time of admission
  • Admission diagnosis of heart failure
  • Age ≥ 18
  • Initial assessment completed within 10 hours of admission by a registered nurse

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patient admitted from acute rehabilitation or skilled nursing facility
  • Altered weight bearing or unable to complete initial 2 minute walk test
  • Unwilling or unable to participate or consent
  • Acute delirium or dementia by history
  • Hospice or actively dying
  • Ventricular assist device or listed for heart transplantation
  • Inotrope dependence
  • Active ischemia
  • Heart rate (HR) <50 or >130 at rest
  • Blood pressure (BP) <80 or >180 at rest
  • Pulse oximetry <88% at rest
  • Patient is in isolation for multi-drug resistant organism such as MRSA or C-diff

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

  • Observational Models: Cohort
  • Time Perspectives: Prospective

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
Intervention / Treatment
Control Group - Usual Care
At the start of the study, subjects will be enrolled in usual care when admitted to the heart failure unit following standard protocols.
Intervention Group - Aggressive Ambulation
After a washout period and transition to a new aggressive ambulation protocol, subjects will be enrolled to usual care + aggressive planned ambulation with a trained mobility aide.
A trained mobility aide will provide aggressive ambulation at least 3X per day for all patients on the heart failure unit

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Walk distance
Time Frame: Through study completion, an average of 5 days

Walk distance using a 2-minute walk test will be assessed at admission and again at discharge. A clear starting and stopping point will be made with distance marked every 10 feet. A chair with armrests will be at the starting and stopping point of the walk distance. The designated area will be between 5 East and 5 West which will be standard for each patient. After the assessment the nurse will document the total patient's distance to the nearest 10 feet. Example "Ms. Smith walked 100 feet with 3 stops in 2 minutes." The patient will have a repeat 2 minute walk test on the day of discharge using the same criteria. For the walk test:

  • Gait belt must be used
  • Patient will be allowed to stop, lean on the wall and rest, but if requires sitting, terminates the 2 minute walk distance.
  • IV medications on hold is able
Through study completion, an average of 5 days
Steps per day
Time Frame: Through study completion, an average of 5 days
Steps per day for each day in the hospital will be measured in 15-minute intervals from admission to discharge using a Fitbit device (wearable device on the wrist). Data will be downloaded from the Fitbit upon discharge.
Through study completion, an average of 5 days

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Disposition at Discharge
Time Frame: At discharge/completion of study; an average of 5 days after admission
Discharge disposition to home, skilled care/nursing care, etc. will be tracked.
At discharge/completion of study; an average of 5 days after admission
Readmission within 30 days
Time Frame: 30 Days after discharge
Readmission within 30 days of discharge
30 Days after discharge
Falls
Time Frame: Through study completion, an average of 5 days
Record any falls or near falls for subjects enrolled in the study during hospital stay from admission to discharge
Through study completion, an average of 5 days
Length of Stay
Time Frame: Through study completion, an average of 5 days
Calculation of length of stay from hour/day of admission to hour/day of discharge
Through study completion, an average of 5 days

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Justin Roberts, DO, Lancaster General Hospital
  • Principal Investigator: Lisa Rathman, CRNP, Lancaster General Hospital
  • Principal Investigator: Dana Irwin, BSN, RN, Lancaster General Hospital
  • Principal Investigator: Michael Killinger, MSN, RN, Lancaster General Hospital
  • Principal Investigator: Nathaniel Baker, DPT, Lancaster General Hospital
  • Principal Investigator: Michael Horst, PhD, Lancaster General 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

October 1, 2016

Primary Completion (Actual)

December 31, 2018

Study Completion (Actual)

December 31, 2018

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

June 7, 2016

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

July 7, 2016

First Posted (Estimate)

July 11, 2016

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

August 30, 2019

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 28, 2019

Last Verified

August 1, 2019

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • CHF Inpatient Ambulation Trial

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

No

IPD Plan Description

Study results will be published in aggregate.

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.

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