The effect of participating in MedEx Wellness, a community-based chronic disease exercise rehabilitation programme, on physical, clinical and psychological health: A study protocol for a cohort trial

An Irish Multi-Centre Study of Behaviours, Attitudes and Barriers to Exercise in Inflammatory Bowel Disease, a Survey from the Patient’s Perspective

Background: Physical activity (PA) in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has many potential favourable outcomes including anti-inflammatory effects, improvement in quality of life and improvements in patient body composition. It is recognised that patients with IBD have a significantly decreased exercise tolerance. Aim: 1. To assess physical activity levels, behaviours and barriers to PA in IBD. 2. To assess the likelihood of patients with IBD to engage in a community-based exercise programme. 3. To examine the presence of body image concerns in IBD. Method: Patient surveys were distributed in Beaumont and Connolly Hospitals between October and December 2021. Descriptive statistics, Chi-squared testing and Pearson’s correlations were completed using Minitab. p < 0.05 denoted statistical significance. Results: Data were recorded for a total of 203 patients. Out of all patients, 62% (n = 126) had Crohn’s disease (CD). Over half of the cohort were male (n = 115). Mean weight among females was 75 kg and 83 kg among males. Exercise behaviours: Out of all patients, 71% exercise regularly, on average for 59 min, 3.2 days/week. Walking was the most common form of PA (74%). A post-diagnosis change in exercise behaviour was found in 66% with three-quarters exercising less. The primary barrier to exercise was fatigue (54%). Female gender (p = 0.007) and age < 45 years (p = 0.02) were associated with body image dissatisfaction reported in 62% of patients. Conclusion: These data demonstrate the patient-reported impact of IBD on patient participation in PA. Concerns regarding body image were common and associated with gender and age. A feasibility study of a physician-derived exercise programme in patients with active IBD is underway in Beaumont Hospital to determine the effect on patient response to therapy, inflammation and body composition outcomes (NCT05174754).

The impact of prehabilitation interventions on affective and functional outcomes for young to midlife adult cancer patients: A systematic review

OBJECTIVE

Cancer remains one of the most enduring health crises of the modern world. Prehabilitation is a relatively new intervention aimed at preparing individuals for the stresses associated with treatment from diagnosis. Prehabilitation can include exercise, psychological and nutrition-based interventions. The present systematic review aimed to assess the efficacy of prehabilitation on affective and functional outcomes for young to midlife adult cancer patients (18-55 years). Outcomes of interest included prehabilitation programme composition, duration, mode of delivery and measures used to determine impact on affective and functional outcomes.

METHODS

The following databases were searched with controlled and free text vocabulary; Psychological Information database (PsychINFO), Culmunated Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE), Excerpta Medica Database (EMBASE) and Public MEDLINE (PubMed). Abstract and full-text screening was conducted with a secondary reviewer and final texts were subject to risk of bias analysis.

RESULTS

Thirteen texts were included at full-text. These included data of 797 prehabilitation participants (mean age 53 years) and a large representation of female participants (71% average). Evidence was found for the efficacy of psychological prehabilitation for anxiety reduction. Prehabilitation did not significantly affect health related quality of life. Findings moderately supported the therapeutic validity of exercise prehabilitation for functional outcomes, both in terms of clinical and experimental improvement with respect to the quality of evidence. Variation between all prehabilitation types was observed. There was insufficient evidence to support the efficacy of psychological prehabilitation on stress, distress or depression.

CONCLUSION

Implications for future research are highlighted and then discussed with respect to this young to midlife age group.

Impact of a physician-led exercise programme on quality of life, muscle mass and clinical response in inflammatory bowel disease patients during induction with disease-modifying therapy: a study protocol

Introduction

Biologic and small-molecule therapies have revolutionised the treatment of moderate-to-severe inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). A significant proportion of patients experience early or delayed treatment failure. Patients with IBD with greater visceral obesity are less likely to respond to biologics. Sarcopenia has been identified as a predictor of disease severity and need for rescue therapy in acute severe ulcerative colitis. The aim of this study is to assess the feasibility of a physician-derived exercise programme in patients with IBD commencing biologic or small-molecule therapy in addition to the effect on physical fitness, body composition and objective measures of quality of life, fatigue scores and disease activity.

Methods and analysis

This is a randomised controlled feasibility study comparing the effects of a physician-derived exercise programme and standard medical care (biologic/small-molecule therapy) with standard care alone in patients with moderate to severe IBD. Patients with IBD in the intervention group will undergo a structured exercise programme for 20 weeks. Both IBD groups will carry out body composition, disease activity and quality-of-life assessments at baseline, week 12 and week 26. The primary objective is to assess the feasibility of the physician-derived exercise programme in patients with IBD commencing disease-modifying therapies. Secondary endpoints include a change in cardiorespiratory fitness, disease activity/inflammation, fatigue, health-related quality of life outcomes and body composition between the two IBD groups. Exploratory endpoints include validation of anterior thigh ultrasound for sarcopenia screening, assessment of proinflammatory cytokines and markers of immunometabolism.

Ethics and dissemination

This study has received ethical approval from the Beaumont Hospital Ethics committee on 22 October 2021 (reference number 21/21). Data generated or analysed during this study will be published as an article and supplementary appendix in relevant medical journals. The data will also be presented at national and international conferences.

Trial registration number

NCT05174754.