The HEART Camp Exercise Intervention Improves Exercise Adherence, Physical Function, and Patient-Reported Outcomes in Adults With Preserved Ejection Fraction Heart Failure.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to evaluate the effects of a multicomponent behavioral intervention (HEART Camp) on adherence to exercise and its impact on symptoms, health status, and physical function in adults with heart failure, particularly HFpEF and HFrEF.
Results Summary
The HEART Camp intervention significantly improved long-term exercise adherence, walking distance (6-minute walk test), and patient-reported outcomes in adults with HFpEF, with medium to large effect sizes observed at 12 and 18 months. The intervention also showed benefits for HFrEF participants, particularly in reducing anxiety.
Population
Adults with stable, chronic heart failure, including subgroups with HFpEF (n=59) and HFrEF (n=145).
Effective Dosage
≥120 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week (40%-80% of heart rate reserve).
Duration
18 months (with assessments at 6, 12, and 18 months).
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Heart failure Exercise And Resistance Training (HEART) Camp | increase | adherence to exercise | Participants with HFpEF | 43% vs 14% | had significantly greater adherence compared with enhanced usual care | #1 |
Heart failure Exercise And Resistance Training (HEART) Camp | increase | adherence to exercise | Participants with HFpEF | 56% vs 0% | had significantly greater adherence compared with enhanced usual care | #2 |
Heart failure Exercise And Resistance Training (HEART) Camp | increase | walking distance on the 6-minute walk test | Participants with HFpEF | η | significantly improved | #3 |
Heart failure Exercise And Resistance Training (HEART) Camp | increase | Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System-29 | Participants with HFpEF | - | significantly improved | #4 |
Heart failure Exercise And Resistance Training (HEART) Camp | increase | dyspnea-fatigue index | Participants with HFpEF | - | significantly improved | #5 |
Heart failure Exercise And Resistance Training (HEART) Camp | increase | Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire | Participants with HFpEF | - | significantly improved | #6 |
Heart failure Exercise And Resistance Training (HEART) Camp | increase | long-term adherence to exercise | adults with HFpEF | - | is associated with improvements in | #7 |
Heart failure Exercise And Resistance Training (HEART) Camp | increase | physical function | adults with HFpEF | - | is associated with improvements in | #8 |
Heart failure Exercise And Resistance Training (HEART) Camp | increase | patient-reported outcomes | adults with HFpEF | - | is associated with improvements in | #9 |
Heart failure Exercise And Resistance Training (HEART) Camp | decrease | anxiety | adults with HFrEF | - | is associated with improvements in | #10 |
BACKGROUND: Despite exercise being one of few strategies to improve outcomes for individuals with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), exercise clinical trials in HFpEF are plagued by poor interventional adherence. Over the last 2 decades, our research team has developed, tested, and refined Heart failure Exercise And Resistance Training (HEART) Camp, a multicomponent behavioral intervention to promote adherence to exercise in HF. We evaluated the effects of this intervention designed to promote adherence to exercise in HF focusing on subgroups of participants with HFpEF and heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). METHODS AND RESULTS: This randomized controlled trial included 204 adults with stable, chronic HF. Of those enrolled, 59 had HFpEF and 145 had HFrEF. We tested adherence to exercise (defined as ≥120 minutes of moderate-intensity [40%-80% of heart rate reserve] exercise per week validated with a heart rate monitor) at 6, 12, and 18 months. We also tested intervention effects on symptoms (Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System-29 and dyspnea-fatigue index), HF-related health status (Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire), and physical function (6-minute walk test). Participants with HFpEF (n = 59) were a mean of 64.6 ± 9.3 years old, 54% male, and 46% non-White with a mean ejection fraction of 55 ± 6%. Participants with HFpEF in the HEART Camp intervention group had significantly greater adherence compared with enhanced usual care at both 12 (43% vs 14%, phi = 0.32, medium effect) and 18 months (56% vs 0%, phi = 0.67, large effect). HEART Camp significantly improved walking distance on the 6-minute walk test (η CONCLUSIONS: A multicomponent, behavioral intervention is associated with improvements in long-term adherence to exercise, physical function, and patient-reported outcomes in adults with HFpEF and anxiety in HFrEF. Our results provide a strong rationale for a large HFpEF clinical trial to validate these findings and examine interventional mechanisms and delivery modes that may further promote adherence and improve clinical outcomes in this population. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: URL: https://clinicaltrials.gov/. Unique identifier: NCT01658670.