Lung Transplant Candidates: Effects of Aerobic vs. HIIT Training on ICF Assessments

Recruiting now · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Lung Transplantation

In brief

Lung transplantation is a crucial surgical intervention aimed at increasing survival rates in patients with end-stage lung diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cystic fibrosis, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, and pulmonary hypertension. One of the most important determinants of health outcomes before and after lung transplantation is exercise capacity. An increase in the 6-minute walking distance (6MWD), which serves as a measure of functional exercise capacity, is associated with lower mortality rates in both pre- and post-transplantation settings. Therefore, effective rehabilitation programs are needed to enhance the exercise capacities of lung transplant candidates. Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is a comprehensive program designed specifically for individuals with chronic respiratory diseases. PR aims to improve patients\' physical and psychological conditions through detailed assessments and personalized treatment plans. It can play a role in enhancing the preoperative exercise capacities of lung transplant candidates and improving their chances of successful health outcomes. However, lung transplant candidates often have more advanced lung disease and face greater challenges compared to typical patients undergoing PR, making the expected benefits more complex to achieve. The primary aim of this study is to investigate the effects of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) in lung transplant candidates with interstitial lung disease (ILD). The first objective is to compare the physiological responses and effectiveness of HIIT and moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) within the same exercise volume. The secondary aim is to evaluate the impact of HIIT on body structure and function, activity, and participation levels using ICF-based assessments.

Key facts

Study ID: NCT07065318
Run by: Ankara City Hospital Bilkent
People needed: 34
Starts: 2024-11-01
Expected to finish: 2026-01-01
Last updated by the study team: 2025-07-15

Who can join

Age: 18 and older, up to 64. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

Being diagnosed with interstitial lung disease and being followed up at the Ankara City Hospital Chest Diseases Clinic,
Being 18 years of age or older,
Patients who are being followed up with a diagnosis of ILD according to the ATS/ERS 2022 international ILD guideline,
Being on the lung transplant waiting list according to the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation and are being evaluated for listing and are being followed up by the chest diseases department (25-28),
Being willing to participate in the exercise program regularly and volunteering to participate in the study,
Patients who have dyspnea levels of 2 and above according to the Modified Medical Research Council dyspnea scale and are able to ambulate,
Patients who receive long-term oxygen support will be included.

You may not qualify if…

Patients with a history of exertional syncope,
Patients in acute exacerbation,
Patients with sarcoidosis,
Patients with serious comorbidities that may limit exercise (e.g. musculoskeletal, neurological or cardiovascular problems) will not be included.
Patients with an aortic aneurysm greater than 5.5 cm,
Patients with cardiovascular impediments to exercise during cardiological evaluations prior to pulmonary rehabilitation

Where it is running

Ankara Bilkent City Hospital — Ankara, Ankara, Turkey (Türkiye) (enrolling)

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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