Mobile program to boost exercise for teens with pulmonary hypertension
MhOVE-PPH Study: Mobile health interventiOn to improVe Exercise in Pediatric PH
This project uses a phone-linked activity tracker plus personalized coaching to help teenagers with pulmonary arterial hypertension be more active.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Vanderbilt University Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Nashville, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11332482 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you join, you'll wear an activity tracker that sends your step and activity data in real time and you'll receive personalized, encouraging coaching messages on your phone to help build exercise habits. The team will adapt a program that worked in adults to be teen-friendly, using behavioral techniques like feedback loops, habit formation, and tailored goals. Study staff will monitor daily steps, quality of life, and heart health and will check how easy the program is to use and stick with over the study period. Most coaching will be remote, though you may need clinic visits for baseline and follow-up heart tests.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Teenagers (roughly 12–18 years old) with diagnosed pulmonary arterial hypertension who can walk safely and use a smartphone or wearable device are ideal candidates.
Not a fit: Patients with very unstable or severe pulmonary hypertension, those unable to walk safely, or those without smartphone/wearable access may not benefit or be eligible.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this low-cost, home-based program could help teens with pulmonary hypertension walk more, feel better, and possibly improve heart function.
How similar studies have performed: A prior adult trial of the same mobile health approach increased daily steps by about 1,019, improved quality of life, and showed better right ventricular function, but comparable trials in adolescents are limited.
Where this research is happening
Nashville, United States
- Vanderbilt University Medical Center — Nashville, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Austin, Eric Douglas — Vanderbilt University Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Austin, Eric Douglas
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.