What does this research mean for the field?

A remotely supervised exercise rehabilitation and behavioural support intervention is feasible and acceptable for adults with postural tachycardia syndrome. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.INCREMENTAL. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

February 1, 2025BMJ OpenOpen Access

Exercise rehabilitation for people with postural tachycardia syndrome at two secondary care centres in the UK: the PULSE feasibility randomised controlled trial

Q: What is the clinical evidence from this study?

Study design: RCT. Population: Postural tachycardia syndrome (PoTS) (n=44). Intervention: PULSE intervention (online exercise rehabilitation and behavioural/motivational support) vs. Best-practice usual care (a single 1:1 session of advice). Primary outcome: Feasibility (recruitment, adherence, retention, and acceptability).

View Full Paper

Ask AI

Bookmark

Key result

Remotely supervised PULSE exercise rehabilitation proves feasible and acceptable for patients with POTS.

n=44

Why the study?

The feasibility of conducting a definitive multicentre RCT testing an online exercise rehabilitation and behavioural/motivational support intervention for people with PoTS was unknown.

Does an online exercise rehabilitation and behavioural/motivational support intervention improve feasibility and acceptability in adults with postural tachycardia syndrome?

Study Design

Type

RCT (n=44)

Blinding

Single-blind (outcomes assessors, principal investigator, and trial statistician)

Randomization

1:1 variable block randomisation

Multicenter

Yes

Structured PICO

Does an online exercise rehabilitation and behavioural/motivational support intervention improve feasibility and acceptability in adults with postural tachycardia syndrome?

Population

44 adults aged 18 to 60 years with postural tachycardia syndrome, followed for 7 months to assess the feasibility of a remotely supervised exercise rehabilitation program.

Intervention

PULSE intervention: (1) individual online consultation, (2) 12 weeks of supervised online group exercise and behavioural/motivational support, and (3) home exercise programme with recumbent exercise bike.

Comparator

Best-practice usual care (a single 1:1 session of advice).

Outcome

Feasibility: (1) patients screened, eligible, recruited, randomised, withdrawn; (2) adherence; (3) physiological, clinical and patient-reported outcomes (4 and 7 months); and (4) embedded qualitative study to evaluate acceptability.

A remotely supervised exercise rehabilitation and behavioural/motivational support intervention for people with postural tachycardia syndrome is feasible and acceptable.

Limitations

Home exercise bike usage was determined by self-report which may have been subject to bias.
Participant interview data regarding acceptability may be skewed given these participants engaged fully with the intervention.
The study was not statistically powered to detect a treatment effect in any of the secondary outcomes.
The target sample size of 62 participants was not achieved (71% recruited), and follow-up retention was lower than expected (66% of target).

Discussion

No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.

Implication

Supports larger efficacy trials of remote exercise in postural tachycardia syndrome; extends rehabilitation options to virtual formats.

Cite This Study

McGregor et al. (2025) conducted an RCT in Postural tachycardia syndrome (PoTS) (n=44). PULSE intervention (online exercise rehabilitation and behavioural/motivational support) vs. Best-practice usual care (a single 1:1 session of advice) was evaluated on Feasibility (recruitment, adherence, retention, and acceptability). The PULSE remotely supervised exercise rehabilitation intervention was feasible and acceptable for people with postural tachycardia syndrome, with 44 patients randomised and a median attendance of 15 of 18 live sessions.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6ab0b866261bda5ee414f57a https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2024-090197

View Full Paper

Ask AI

Bookmark

Exercise rehabilitation for people with postural tachycardia syndrome at two secondary care centres in the UK: the PULSE feasibility randomised controlled trial

Study Design

Structured PICO

Limitations

Discussion

Implication

Cite This Study

Exercise rehabilitation for people with postural tachycardia syndrome at two secondary care centres in the UK: the PULSE feasibility randomised controlled trial

Study Design

Structured PICO

Limitations

Discussion

Implication

Cite This Study

Also Consider

Also Consider