Effectiveness of telematic follow-up programme to promote physical activity after hematological transplantation: a randomized clinical trial.

AIM: To analyse benefits of tele-monitoring to promote adherence to a home-based physical activity for patients under hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

METHODS

A randomized clinical trial controlled. Patients, in total 56 with 28 in control group (CG) and 28 intervention group (IG). Autologous and allogeneic transplant patients in ratio 1:1. Both groups received advice on physical activity recommendations to be performed at home, based on walking and squats. The intervention IG consisted in physical activity monitored with a pedometer and tele-monitoring by physiotherapist weekly, during 3 months. Variables as: Exercise tolerance, muscle strength, fatigue, dyspnoea, and quality of life were measured presently with validated scales, at hospital admission, discharge and, 3 months after discharge. P value was stablished ≤0.05. Comparative analysis was performed using R software v.4.1.

RESULTS

In terms of quality of life (EQ-5D-5L), at 3 months after discharge, the IG showed better ability to perform daily activities than the CG (p: .009). In the 6-minute walk test, the GI recovered the meters they had made before admission, but the GC was 41 m below (p: .048). In the 30-second chair stand test: IG recovered baseline and performed 1.7 but CG performed 0.8 repetitions below baseline. These differences between groups were more pronounced in patients who underwent allogeneic transplant compared to patient under autologous transplant.

CONCLUSION

The results indicate that physical telematic support improves the functional capacity and adherence of patients undergoing transplantation to perform physical activity at home.