Modifying Adiposity Through Behavioral Strategies to Improve COVID-19 Rehabilitation

NCT ID: NCT05880108

Last Updated: 2025-06-29

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

150 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2024-06-03

Study Completion Date

2028-09-30

Brief Summary

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The research in this VA Merit will examine the effects of obesity and Post-COVID Conditions (PCC) on physical functioning, health-related quality of life, and adipose tissue inflammatory and cellular senescence profiles in older Veterans. Further, it will evaluate whether a weight loss intervention, including dietary modification and exercise, in obese Veterans with and without PCC will reduce systemic and adipose tissue inflammation and senescence and promote PCC recovery.

Detailed Description

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Findings of post-acute sequelae of Post-COVID Conditions (PCC) manifestations of fatigue, pain, dyspnea, and muscle weakness, provide a strong rationale for rehabilitation; yet few formal studies exist and the effects of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 infection on function are not well described. Notably, two-thirds of Veterans are overweight and obese, rendering excess adiposity a significant risk factor and a high-priority area related to PCC prevention and care. Obesity increases the risk of severe illness in Veterans recovering from PCC, but how it does so is not fully understood.

Recent research suggests that excess adipose tissue is associated with adverse changes in adipose cellular function, and that these variations may be involved in the biology of aging and the etiology of aging-related diseases. Adipose tissue contains cells that have undergone cellular senescence, which induces inflammation, cytotoxicity, and metabolic dysfunction in other cells and tissues. However, the precise role of adipose tissue cellular composition on PCC recovery is limited.

Thus, the investigators propose to evaluate the role of obesity and PCC on physical functioning, health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and systemic and adipose tissue inflammatory and cellular senescence profiles in ethnically diverse older Veterans from the Audie Murphy (San Antonio) and Baltimore VA Medical Centers. Further, the investigators propose a randomized controlled trial to determine whether a reduction in body weight and increased physical function by a weight loss intervention (WL), including dietary modification and exercise, in obese Veterans with PCC will reduce systemic and adipose tissue inflammation and senescence, which will have important implications for PCC recovery.

Conditions

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Post-COVID Conditions Obesity

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Weight Loss Program (Diet and Exercise)
Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

SINGLE

Outcome Assessors
Outcome assessors will be blinded to treatment allocation/group assignment

Study Groups

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Weight Loss

Participants will be asked to participate in a 1x/week center-based or tele-health nutrition diet class, 2x/week center-based exercise classes, and 1x/week exercise session conducted on their own for approximately 12 weeks.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

12-weeks of Weight Loss

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants will be asked to participate in a 1x/week center-based or tele-health nutrition diet class, 2x/week center-based exercise classes, and 1x/week exercise session conducted on their own for \~12 weeks.

Weight Stability

Participants will be asked to participate in a 1x/week center-based or tele-health education class, 2x/week center-based or tele-health stretching/balance classes, and 1x/week stretching/balance session conducted on their own for approximately 12 weeks.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

12-weeks of Weight Stability

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants will be asked to participate in a 1x/week center-based or tele-health education class, 2x/week center-based stretching/balance classes, and 1x/week stretching/balance session conducted on their own for \~12 weeks.

Interventions

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12-weeks of Weight Loss

Participants will be asked to participate in a 1x/week center-based or tele-health nutrition diet class, 2x/week center-based exercise classes, and 1x/week exercise session conducted on their own for \~12 weeks.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

12-weeks of Weight Stability

Participants will be asked to participate in a 1x/week center-based or tele-health education class, 2x/week center-based stretching/balance classes, and 1x/week stretching/balance session conducted on their own for \~12 weeks.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

1. U.S. Veteran
2. Self-reported COVID-19 naïve or COVID-19 \> 90 days ago for lean and obese PCC naïve or documented COVID-19 for the lean and obese PCC groups (At least one PCC symptom \>4 weeks)
3. Body Mass Index: 19-25 or 30-50 kg/m2

Exclusion Criteria

1. Neurologic, musculoskeletal, or other condition that limits subject's ability to complete study physical assessments
2. Active inflammatory, COVID-19, autoimmune, infectious, hepatic (LFTs \> 2.5 x WNL), renal (eGFR\<45), gastrointestinal, malignant, and psychiatric disease
3. Uncontrolled diabetes (HbA1c \>10% or the current use of insulin)
4. Weight change within the past month of \>5 kg
5. Self-reported alcohol or drug abuse
6. Anti-coagulant medication usage
Maximum Eligible Age

80 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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Baltimore VA Medical Center

FED

Sponsor Role collaborator

South Texas Veterans Health Care System

FED

Sponsor Role collaborator

VA Office of Research and Development

FED

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

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Alice S. Ryan, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Baltimore VA Medical Center VA Maryland Health Care System, Baltimore, MD

Locations

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Baltimore VA Medical Center VA Maryland Health Care System, Baltimore, MD

Baltimore, Maryland, United States

Site Status RECRUITING

South Texas Health Care System, San Antonio, TX

San Antonio, Texas, United States

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

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United States

Central Contacts

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Kristina Marcus, MS

Role: CONTACT

(410) 605-7000

Facility Contacts

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Kristina Marcus, MS

Role: primary

410-605-7000

Tiffany Cortes, MD

Role: primary

814-332-9939

Tim Calderon, MS

Role: backup

2106175300 ext. 13898

Other Identifiers

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1I01RX004572-01A1

Identifier Type: NIH

Identifier Source: secondary_id

View Link

F4572-R

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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