Impact of a Cardiac and Mental Health Rehab Program on Well-Being and Fitness in Young Adults With Fontan Circulation: A Randomized Trial

NCT ID: NCT06844149

Last Updated: 2025-02-25

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

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

36 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2019-01-12

Study Completion Date

2020-04-28

Brief Summary

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Helping Young Adults With Fontan Circulation Feel Better and Stay Active What is the study about? This study looked at how a special program could help young adults with Fontan circulation feel better mentally and physically. People with this condition often struggle with anxiety, depression, and low energy. The study tested a Cardiac and Psychosocial Rehabilitation (CPR) program, which included counseling and exercise training to improve their well-being.

Who participated?

38 young adults (ages 18-23) with Fontan circulation

They were divided into three groups:

CPR Group - received counseling (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, CBT) and a home exercise program CR Group - did only the home exercise program Control Group - continued with their usual care What did the study find?

* Less anxiety and depression - The CPR group had the biggest improvement in mental health.
* Better self-confidence (self-efficacy) - Participants felt more capable of handling challenges.
* Higher quality of life - They felt happier and more engaged in daily life. ❌ No major changes in exercise ability - While they became more active, their heart fitness levels did not change much.

What does this mean for patients and families?

Mental health support is just as important as physical care for young adults with Fontan circulation.

A combination of counseling and exercise is better than exercise alone for reducing stress and anxiety.

Regular safe exercise should still be encouraged for better long-term health.

For healthcare providers:

This study supports adding psychological care (CBT) to standard cardiac rehabilitation.

More research is needed to optimize home-based exercise programs for Fontan patients.

Final message:

If you or a loved one has Fontan circulation, taking care of mental health is just as important as heart health. A program that includes counseling and exercise may help improve both!

Detailed Description

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"All relevant information has been entered in the appropriate sections of the study record."

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Conditions

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Congenital Heart Disease

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

This study used a parallel assignment model in which participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups: (1) a combined Cardiac and Psychosocial Rehabilitation (CPR) group, (2) a Cardiac Rehabilitation (CR) only group, or (3) a usual care control group. Each group received its assigned intervention throughout the study without crossover
Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

NONE

"Not Applicable - This is an open-label study."

Study Groups

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CPR group; Cardiac and Psychosocial Rehabilitation

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)-based psychosocial rehabilitation program with a structured Home-Based Cardiac Rehabilitation (CR) program

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

CPR; (Cardiac and Psychosocial Rehabilitation) with Cardiac Rehabilitation

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

This intervention combines an 8-week Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)-based psychosocial rehabilitation program with a structured Home-Based Cardiac Rehabilitation (CR) program for young adults with Fontan circulation. The CBT component includes weekly 90-minute group sessions focusing on stress management, cognitive restructuring, and social coping skills. The CR component consists of a personalized aerobic exercise plan, starting at 15-30 minutes per session and progressing to 40-60 minutes, with weekly monitoring and adjustments. This combined intervention is provided exclusively to participants in the CPR group

CR group; Home-Based Cardiac Rehabilitation

8-week Home-Based Cardiac Rehabilitation (CR) program

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

CR; Home-Based Cardiac Rehabilitation

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

This intervention consists of an 8-week Home-Based Cardiac Rehabilitation (CR) program designed for young adults with Fontan circulation. Participants follow a structured aerobic exercise plan tailored to their cardiopulmonary fitness levels. The program starts with 15-30 minutes of exercise per session, progressing to 40-60 minutes, with intensity set at 60-70% of maximum heart rate. Exercise adherence is monitored through weekly follow-ups, with adjustments made as needed. This intervention is provided to participants in both the CR group and the CPR group but without the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) component in the CR-only group.

Control group; usual care

control group received usual care without any additional interventions

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Usual Care

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants in the control group received usual care without any additional interventions. They did not participate in the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)-Based Psychosocial Rehabilitation or the Home-Based Cardiac Rehabilitation (CR) programs during the study period. After the study was completed, they were given the option to enroll in the CPR program. This group serves as a comparison to evaluate the effectiveness of the interventions in the CPR and CR groups

Interventions

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CPR; (Cardiac and Psychosocial Rehabilitation) with Cardiac Rehabilitation

This intervention combines an 8-week Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)-based psychosocial rehabilitation program with a structured Home-Based Cardiac Rehabilitation (CR) program for young adults with Fontan circulation. The CBT component includes weekly 90-minute group sessions focusing on stress management, cognitive restructuring, and social coping skills. The CR component consists of a personalized aerobic exercise plan, starting at 15-30 minutes per session and progressing to 40-60 minutes, with weekly monitoring and adjustments. This combined intervention is provided exclusively to participants in the CPR group

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

CR; Home-Based Cardiac Rehabilitation

This intervention consists of an 8-week Home-Based Cardiac Rehabilitation (CR) program designed for young adults with Fontan circulation. Participants follow a structured aerobic exercise plan tailored to their cardiopulmonary fitness levels. The program starts with 15-30 minutes of exercise per session, progressing to 40-60 minutes, with intensity set at 60-70% of maximum heart rate. Exercise adherence is monitored through weekly follow-ups, with adjustments made as needed. This intervention is provided to participants in both the CR group and the CPR group but without the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) component in the CR-only group.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Usual Care

Participants in the control group received usual care without any additional interventions. They did not participate in the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)-Based Psychosocial Rehabilitation or the Home-Based Cardiac Rehabilitation (CR) programs during the study period. After the study was completed, they were given the option to enroll in the CPR program. This group serves as a comparison to evaluate the effectiveness of the interventions in the CPR and CR groups

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Aged 18 to 23 years more than one year after Fontan surgery
* Had no surgery planned during study participation
* Had scores ≥ 8 for the anxiety (HADS-A) and/or depression (HADS-D) HADS subscales (Bjelland, Dahl, Haug, \& Neckelmann, 2002; Holdgaard et al., 2023).
* Could read and complete the consent form and questionnaire, and participate in a Korean-language group

Exclusion Criteria

* Undergoing psychotherapy during study participation
* Had significant cognitive impairment, psychosis, or personality disorder noted in their medical record
* Had scores ≥ 11 for HADS-D and \> 17 for the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) as evaluated by a psychiatrist or had been identified with severe depression or other serious psychiatric diagnoses (Kovacs et al., 2022; Marquez et al., 2020).
* Exhibited indications for the restriction of exercise of greater-than-moderate intensity based on recommendations from the American Heart Association (Franklin et al., 2020; Longmuir et al., 2013)
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

23 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Samsung Medical Center

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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June Huh

Professor of Pediatric Cardiology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

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Samsung Medical Center

Seoul, 서울 - Seoul, South Korea

Site Status

Countries

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South Korea

Other Identifiers

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KCT0006496

Identifier Type: REGISTRY

Identifier Source: secondary_id

2018-08-035---3

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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