⚡ Quick Summary
A recent study demonstrated that digital therapeutics-based cardiac telerehabilitation significantly enhances cardiopulmonary fitness and quality of life in lung cancer survivors. The trial showed a remarkable compliance rate of 101.2% and substantial improvements in various health metrics compared to usual care.
🔍 Key Details
- 👥 Participants: 47 early-stage nonsmall cell lung cancer survivors aged 18-70
- 🗓️ Duration: 5 months of intervention
- ⚙️ Technology: AI-driven exercise prescription with real-time heart rate monitoring
- 🏋️♂️ Exercise regimen: Aerobic and resistance exercises, 3-5 days/week, 90-150 minutes/week
- 📊 Compliance rate: 101.2% in the telerehabilitation group
🔑 Key Takeaways
- 💪 Improved fitness: Maximal oxygen uptake peak increased significantly (3.66 vs 1.09 mL/Kg/min; P=.02).
- 🌟 Enhanced quality of life: Global health status improved (16.25 vs 1.04; P=.03).
- 😌 Reduced fatigue: Fatigue levels decreased significantly (-8.89 vs 1.39; P=.02).
- 🧠 Lower anxiety: Anxiety levels were better managed (-0.31 vs -0.05; P=.048).
- 🌞 Daytime dysfunction: Notable reduction in daytime dysfunction (-0.55 vs 0.00; P=.02).
- ✅ Safety: No exercise-related adverse events reported.
- 📈 High completion rate: 85% of participants completed the trial.
📚 Background
Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related deaths globally, making effective rehabilitation for survivors crucial. Cardiopulmonary fitness is a vital predictor of survival, yet traditional rehabilitation methods often fall short in accessibility and adherence. The advent of digital health technologies offers a promising alternative, particularly for those recovering from surgical interventions that impact cardiovascular and pulmonary functions.
🗒️ Study
This randomized controlled trial aimed to explore the efficacy of a home-based cardiac telerehabilitation program for lung cancer survivors. Participants were assigned to either the telerehabilitation group, which utilized AI-driven exercise prescriptions, or the usual care group for a duration of five months. The study focused on various outcome measures, including cardiopulmonary fitness, quality of life, and psychological well-being.
📈 Results
The results were promising, with the telerehabilitation group showing a significant increase in maximal oxygen uptake peak and overall quality of life compared to the usual care group. The average exercise duration was recorded at 151.4 minutes per week, with an effective exercise duration of 92.3 minutes per week. Participants also reported improvements in fatigue, anxiety, and daytime dysfunction, highlighting the program’s comprehensive benefits.
🌍 Impact and Implications
The findings from this study suggest that digital therapeutics can play a transformative role in the rehabilitation of lung cancer survivors. By enhancing cardiopulmonary fitness and improving quality of life, these interventions could lead to better long-term health outcomes. The high compliance rates indicate that patients are receptive to home-based rehabilitation, paving the way for broader implementation in clinical practice.
🔮 Conclusion
This study underscores the potential of digital health technologies in improving the rehabilitation process for lung cancer survivors. With significant improvements in fitness and quality of life, the integration of telerehabilitation into standard care could revolutionize how we support patients post-surgery. Continued research and clinical trials will be essential to further validate these findings and enhance patient care.
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Digital Therapeutics-Based Cardio-Oncology Rehabilitation for Lung Cancer Survivors: Randomized Controlled Trial.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Lung cancer ranks as the leading cause of cancer-related deaths. For lung cancer survivors, cardiopulmonary fitness is a strong independent predictor of survival, while surgical interventions impact both cardiovascular and pulmonary function. Home-based cardiac telerehabilitation through wearable devices and mobile apps is a substitution for traditional, center-based rehabilitation with equal efficacy and a higher completion rate. However, it has not been widely used in clinical practice.
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to broaden the use of digital health care in the cardiopulmonary rehabilitation of lung cancer survivors and to assess its impact on cardiopulmonary fitness and quality of life (QOL).
METHODS: Early-stage nonsmall cell lung cancer survivors aged 18-70 years were included. All the participants received surgery 1-2 months before enrollment and did not require further antitumor therapy. Participants were randomly assigned to receive cardiac telerehabilitation or usual care for 5 months. Artificial intelligence-driven exercise prescription with a video guide and real-time heart rate (HR) monitoring was generated based on cardiopulmonary exercise testing. Aerobic exercise combining elastic band-based resistance exercises were recommended with a frequency of 3-5 d/wk and a duration of 90-150 min/wk. The effective exercise duration was recorded when patients’ HR reached the target zone (HRresting + [HRmax – HRresting] × [≈40%-60%]), representing the duration under the target intensity. The prescription used a gradual progression in duration and action intensity based on the exercise data and feedback. Outcome measurements included cardiopulmonary fitness; lung function; cardiac function; tumor marker; safety; compliance; and scales assessing symptoms, psychology, sleep, fatigue, and QOL.
RESULTS: A total of 40 (85%) out of 47 patients finished the trial. The average prescription compliance rate of patients in the telerehabilitation group reached 101.2%, with an average exercise duration of 151.4 min/wk and an average effective exercise duration of 92.3 min/wk. The cardiac telerehabilitation was associated with higher improvement of maximal oxygen uptake peak (3.66, SD 3.23 mL/Kg/min vs 1.09, SD 3.23 mL/Kg/min; P=.02) and global health status or QOL (16.25, SD 23.02 vs 1.04, SD 13.90; P=.03) compared with usual care. Better alleviation of affective interference (-0.88, SD 1.50 vs 0.21, SD 1.22; P=.048), fatigue (-8.89, SD 15.96 vs 1.39, SD 12.09; P=.02), anxiety (-0.31, SD 0.44 vs -0.05, SD 0.29; P=.048), and daytime dysfunction (-0.55, SD 0.69 vs 0.00, SD 0.52; P=.02) was also observed in the telerehabilitation group. No exercise-related adverse events were identified during the intervention period.
CONCLUSIONS: The 5-month, digital therapeutics-based telerehabilitation improved cardiorespiratory fitness in lung cancer survivors with good compliance and safety. Patients receiving telerehabilitation also reported improved QOL with reduced levels of fatigue, anxiety, and daytime dysfunction.
TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR2200064000; https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.html?proj=180594.
Author: [‘Li G’, ‘Zhou X’, ‘Deng J’, ‘Wang J’, ‘Ai P’, ‘Zeng J’, ‘Ma X’, ‘Liao H’]
Journal: JMIR Mhealth Uhealth
Citation: Li G, et al. Digital Therapeutics-Based Cardio-Oncology Rehabilitation for Lung Cancer Survivors: Randomized Controlled Trial. Digital Therapeutics-Based Cardio-Oncology Rehabilitation for Lung Cancer Survivors: Randomized Controlled Trial. 2025; 13:e60115. doi: 10.2196/60115