Tracking daily steps in older thoracic surgery patients
Pre-Operative Exercise Challenge In Geriatric Thoracic Patients
This study tests whether older patients having thoracic surgery are willing to wear a Fitbit to track their daily steps in the week before their surgery.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 30 (estimated) |
| Ages | 65 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Academic / other |
| Locations | 2 sites (Boston, Massachusetts and 1 other locations) |
| Trial ID | NCT04630496 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This research examines the feasibility of using a Fitbit to track daily ambulation in thoracic surgery patients aged 65 and older in the week leading up to their surgery. Participants will wear a wrist step-tracker and log their daily step counts, with follow-up calls from the study team to monitor progress. The goal is to assess patient willingness to track their activity, which may inform future interventions aimed at improving preoperative activity levels.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal candidates are patients aged 65 and older who are preparing for thoracic surgery at Brigham and Women's Hospital.
Not a fit: Patients who are completely non-ambulatory or those with significant cognitive impairment may not benefit from this study.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this study could help establish a baseline for preoperative activity, potentially leading to improved recovery outcomes for older thoracic surgery patients.
How similar studies have performed: While this approach is novel in the context of thoracic surgery, similar studies using activity trackers in other surgical populations have shown promising results.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Patients Aged ≥ 65 years * Who are preparing to undergo thoracic surgery at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) Exclusion Criteria: * Patients who are completely non-ambulatory (i.e. wheelchair-bound-patients) \* * Those who lack capacity to consent due to cognitive disease. * Patient for which surgery is felt to be more urgent and therefore performed earlier then our required timeframe for intervention. * Patients with cardiac disease or angina for which formal cardiac testing is required for clearance. * Our exclusion criteria do not include patients with gait disturbances or those who require assistance devices for ambulation.
Where this trial is running
Boston, Massachusetts and 1 other locations
- Brigham and Women's Hospital — Boston, Massachusetts, United States (Recruiting)
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute — Boston, Massachusetts, United States (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Michael T Jaklitsch, MD — Brigham and Women's Hospital
- Study coordinator: Michael T Jaklitsch, MD
- Email: mjaklitsch@bwh.harvard.edu
- Phone: 617-732- 6988
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.