Motivational Interviewing Can Support Physical Activity in Elderly Patients with Diastolic Heart Failure: Results from a Pilot Study

Aims Patients suffering from heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) report similar symptoms and reduction in quality of life to those with reduced ejection fraction but remain largely untreated. We conducted a preliminary evaluation of the acceptance, feasibility, and efficacy of a motivational interviewing (MI) intervention to support elderly patients suffering from HFpEF in maintaining or starting physical activity. Methods and results At the conclusion of the exercise training in diastolic heart failure parent trial that examined the effects of supervised exercise, patients with HFpEF were offered participation in a two-group pilot study. Based on their preference, consenting patients were assigned to either a 6 month MI intervention group (n = 19) or their physicians' usual care (n = 20). To support participants in increasing and/or maintaining their physical activity, counsellors delivered a mean of 6.5 MI sessions (face to face and via telephone) and also provided a physical activity diary as self-management tool. At baseline and 6 months, we assessed participants' physical activity motivation (Sportbezogene Selbstkonkordanz Scale) and their physical improvements with the 6 min walk test and a cardiopulmonary exercise test. Of the entire sample (N = 39), 46% were female, their mean age was 73, 90% were in New York Heart Association Class II, and the mean ejection fraction was 61.4%. The majority of MI participants rated the intervention as acceptable, 90% perceived MI as helpful in setting specific exercise goals and overcoming barriers concerning physical activity, and 58% considered the physical activity diary as very helpful. Three-quarters of MI participants (79%) reported an increase in their physical activity compared with the previous year. Intervention participants showed a greater increase in median peak VO2 from baseline to 6 months (baseline: 18.4 mL/kg/min; 6 months: 20.4 mL/kg/min) compared with the control group (baseline: 20.0 mL/kg/min; 6 months: 19.2 mL/kg/min; P = 0.015). There was no significant change in motivation on the Sportbezogene Selbstkonkordanz Scale for either group (MI: 1.7 vs. 3, P = 0.55; control: 4.7 vs. 4, P = 0.26) nor did patients show any significant improvements in the 6 min walk test (MI: 549 vs. 540 m, P = 0.80; control: 572 vs. 580 m, P = 0.37). Counsellors rated the implementation of the MI intervention as feasible. Conclusions The results from this pilot study suggest that our MI intervention was well accepted by participants and deemed feasible. It also appears to be an effective treatment to increase and maintain physical activity and exercise capacity in patients suffering from HFpEF. Our findings need to be confirmed in a randomized clinical trial with larger and unselected patient cohorts.