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A Lower Leg Physical Activity Intervention for Individuals With Chronic Venous Leg Ulcers: Randomized Controlled Trial.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:Individuals with venous leg ulcers (VLUs) suffer disproportionately with multiple chronic conditions, are often physically deconditioned, and demonstrate high levels of physical inactivity. OBJECTIVE:The primary objective of this randomized controlled trial was to establish the feasibility of a mobile health (mHealth) physical activity exercise app for individuals with VLUs to improve lower leg function. METHODS:In a 6-week study, adults with VLUs were recruited from 2 wound centers in South Carolina, United States, and enrolled if they were aged 18 years or older with impaired functional mobility and an ankle-brachial index between 0.8 and 1.3. Participants were randomized 1:1 to receive evidence-based, phased, nonexertive physical conditioning activities for lower leg function (FOOTFIT) or FOOTFIT+ with an added patient-provider communication feature. The mHealth Conditioning Activities for Lower Leg Function app also provided automated educational and motivational messages and user reports. Foot movement on the VLU-affected leg was tracked by a Bluetooth-enabled triaxial accelerometer. The study was guided by the Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance framework to assess the feasibility of reach, adherence, acceptability, implementation, and maintenance. RESULTS:A total of 24 patients were recruited, enrolled, and randomized in the study. Most patients reported difficulty following the protocol for exercising and using the accelerometer and mobile phone and did not use the provider contact feature. However, all patients were adherent to the 6-week exercise program more than 85% of the time for duration, whereas 33% (8/24) of patients adhered more than 85% for the frequency of performing the exercises. Across the three exercise levels, adherence did not differ between the two groups. Confidence limits around the difference in proportions ranged from -0.4 to 0.7. Providers in FOOTFIT+ were inconsistent in checking participant progress reports because of lack of time from competing work commitments. The technology became outdated quickly, making maintenance problematic. Participants said they would continue to exercise their foot and legs and liked being able to follow along with the demonstrations of each level of exercise provided through the app. CONCLUSIONS:The findings of this study suggest that despite initial interest in using the app, several components of the program as originally designed had limited acceptability and feasibility. Future refinements should include the use of more modern technology including smaller wearable accelerometers, mobile phones or tablets with larger screens, an app designed with larger graphics, automated reporting for providers, and more engaging user features. TRIAL REGISTRATION:ClinicalTrials.gov NTC02632695; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02632695.

SUBMITTER: Kelechi TJ

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7260657 | biostudies-literature | 2020 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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A Lower Leg Physical Activity Intervention for Individuals With Chronic Venous Leg Ulcers: Randomized Controlled Trial.

Kelechi Teresa J TJ Prentice Margaret A MA Mueller Martina M Madisetti Mohan M Vertegel Alexey A

JMIR mHealth and uHealth 20200515 5

<h4>Background</h4>Individuals with venous leg ulcers (VLUs) suffer disproportionately with multiple chronic conditions, are often physically deconditioned, and demonstrate high levels of physical inactivity.<h4>Objective</h4>The primary objective of this randomized controlled trial was to establish the feasibility of a mobile health (mHealth) physical activity exercise app for individuals with VLUs to improve lower leg function.<h4>Methods</h4>In a 6-week study, adults with VLUs were recruited ...[more]

PMID: 32412419

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Project description:BackgroundExercise and adequate self-management capacity may be important strategies in the management of venous leg ulcers. However, it remains unclear if exercise improves the healing rates of venous leg ulcers and if a self-management exercise program based on self-efficacy theory is well adhered to.Method/designThis is a randomised controlled in adults with venous leg ulcers to determine the effectiveness of a self-efficacy based exercise intervention. Participants with venous leg ulcers are recruited from 3 clinical sites in Australia. After collection of baseline data, participants are randomised to either an intervention group or control group. The control group receive usual care, as recommended by evidence based guidelines. The intervention group receive an individualised program of calf muscle exercises and walking. The twelve week exercise program integrates multiple elements, including up to six telephone delivered behavioural coaching and goal setting sessions, supported by written materials, a pedometer and two follow-up booster calls if required. Participants are encouraged to seek social support among their friends, self-monitor their weekly steps and lower limb exercises. The control group are supported by a generic information sheet that the intervention group also receive encouraging lower limb exercises, a pedometer for self-management and phone calls at the same time points as the intervention group. The primary outcome is the healing rates of venous leg ulcers which are assessed at fortnightly clinic appointments. Secondary outcomes, assessed at baseline and 12 weeks: functional ability (range of ankle motion and Tinetti gait and balance score), quality of life and self-management scores.DiscussionThis study seeks to address a significant gap in current wound management practice by providing evidence for the effectiveness of a home-based exercise program for adults with venous leg ulcers. Theory-driven, evidence-based strategies that can improve an individual's exercise self-efficacy and self-management capacity could have a significant impact in improving the management of people with venous leg ulcers. Information gained from this study will provide much needed information on management of this chronic disease to promote health and independence in this population.Trial registrationAustralian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12612000475842.

Project description:BACKGROUND:This trial addresses the global problem of chronic venous leg ulcers (CVLUs), wounds that cause significant infirmity for an estimated 9.7 million people annually, mainly older adults with comorbidities. Advanced therapies are needed because standard topical therapies are often ineffective or yield only short-term wound healing. Thus, we are testing a new oral therapy containing the bioactive elements of fish oil, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), for targeting and reducing the high numbers of activated polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) in wound microenvironments that keep CVLUs "trapped" in a chronic inflammatory state. METHODS:This double-blind RCT will include 248 eligible adults ? 55?years of age with CVLUs receiving standard care at a large Midwest outpatient wound clinic. Participants are randomized to two groups: 12?weeks of daily oral therapy with EPA?+?DHA (1.87?g/day of EPA?+?1.0?g/day of DHA) or daily oral therapy with placebo. At 0, 4, 8, and 12?weeks, across the two groups, we are pursuing three specific aims: Aim 1. Compare levels of EPA?+?DHA-derived lipid mediators, and inflammatory cytokines in blood and wound fluid; Subaim 1a. Compare inflammatory cytokine gene expression by PMNs in blood; Aim 2. Compare PMN activation in blood and wound fluid, and PMN-derived protease levels in wound fluid; Aim 3. Compare reduction in wound area, controlling for factors known to impact healing, and determine relationships with lipid mediators, cytokines, and PMN activation. Subaim 3a. Compare frequency of CVLU recurrence and levels of study variables in blood between the randomly assigned two subgroups (continuing EPA?+?DHA therapy versus placebo therapy beyond week 12) within the EPA?+?DHA group with healed CVLUs after 3?months of therapy. Subaim 3b. Compare symptoms of pain at all time points and quality of life at first and last time points across the two groups and two subgroups. DISCUSSION:This trial will provide new evidence about the effectiveness of EPA?+?DHA oral therapy to target and reduce excessive PMN activation systemically and locally in patients with CVLUs. If effective, this therapy may facilitate healing and thus be a new adjunct treatment for CVLUs in the aging population. TRIAL REGISTRATION:ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03576989; Registered on 13 June 2018.

Project description:ObjectiveTo review the evidence of effectiveness of dressings applied to venous leg ulcers.DesignSystematic review and meta-analysis.Data sourcesHand searches of journals and searches of electronic databases, conference proceedings, and bibliographies up to April 2006; contacts with dressing manufacturers for unpublished studies.Studies reviewedAll randomised controlled trials that evaluated dressings applied to venous leg ulcers were eligible for inclusion. Data from eligible studies were extracted and summarised independently by two reviewers using a data extraction sheet. Methodological quality was assessed independently by two reviewers.ResultsThe search strategy identified 254 studies; 42 of these fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Hydrocolloids were no more effective than simple low adherent dressings used beneath compression (eight trials; relative risk for healing with hydrocolloid 1.02, 95% confidence interval 0.83 to 1.28). For other comparisons, insufficient evidence was available to allow firm conclusions to be drawn. None of the dressing comparisons showed evidence that a particular class of dressing healed more ulcers. Some differences existed between dressings in terms of subjective outcome measures and ulcer healing rates. The results were not affected by the size or quality of trials or the unit of randomisation. Insufficient data were available to allow conclusions to be drawn about the relative cost effectiveness of different dressings.ConclusionsThe type of dressing applied beneath compression was not shown to affect ulcer healing. The results of the meta-analysis showed that applying hydrocolloid dressings beneath compression produced no benefit in terms of ulcer healing compared with applying simple low adherent dressings. No conclusive recommendations can be made as to which type of dressing is most cost effective. Decisions on which dressing to apply should be based on the local costs of dressings and the preferences of the practitioner or patient.

Dataset Information

A Lower Leg Physical Activity Intervention for Individuals With Chronic Venous Leg Ulcers: Randomized Controlled Trial.

Publications

A Lower Leg Physical Activity Intervention for Individuals With Chronic Venous Leg Ulcers: Randomized Controlled Trial.

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