Evaluation of the Effectiveness of a Cardiac Telerehabilitation Program in Chronic Heart Failure: Design and Rationale of the TELEREHAB-HF Study.

Background

Despite strong guideline recommendations, participation in cardiac rehabilitation (CR) among patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) remains low due to logistical, geographical, and psychosocial barriers. Telerehabilitation may help overcome these limitations by offering remote, structured exercise programs supported by digital technologies.

Objective

The TELEREHAB-HF study aims to evaluate the efficacy of an 8-week, home-based cardiac telerehabilitation program compared to standard in-person rehabilitation in patients with CHF.

Methods

This is a prospective, controlled cohort study involving 220 adult patients with CHF (NYHA class I-III) clinically stable and on optimized therapy. Participants are assigned to either a telerehabilitation group (remote CR via a digital platform with wearable sensors and real-time physiotherapist supervision) or a standard in-person rehabilitation group. The primary outcome is the change in peak oxygen uptake (VO2max) at 8 weeks. Secondary outcomes include quality of life, functional performance, biochemical and echocardiographic parameters, and cognitive function, assessed at baseline and at 4, 8, 16, and 24 weeks. Expected

Results

We hypothesize that telerehabilitation will be non-inferior to standard CR in improving functional capacity and secondary outcomes, with additional benefits in accessibility and adherence. Data from remote monitoring may also support a translational "rehabilomics" approach to exploring exercise-induced biomarker changes.

Conclusions

This study seeks to assess the clinical effectiveness, safety, and feasibility of a home-based telerehabilitation model for CHF, with the goal of informing future strategies for broader implementation and personalized rehabilitation. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT07023536.