Adherence and Acceptability of a Remote, Home-based, Pre-surgery Programme for Patients Undergoing Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Surgery

Weeks 1 to 5 (conducted remotely via telephone, email or completion of an online survey):

The programme has been developed with experts in the field of sports therapy, physiotherapy and biomechanics, based on robust literature in other fields. The course plan is to start with 3 sessions every week for 6 weeks where participants would complete a tailored home exercise programme or until the expected surgical intervention. In the first week of this programme, the patient will receive three sessions with a total of 150 minutes of exercise according to UK Chief Medical Officers' Physical Activity Guidelines. After each week, we will assess patient tolerance to the exercise regime using Borg scale. The researchers will either increase or decrease exercise intensity according to their feedback. The study will also be assessing patients' preference for how and when they would like to exercise.

End of Programme (conducted remotely via telephone, email or completion of an online survey):

Participants will be contacted by a member of the study team for the reassessment of health-related quality of life, psychological wellbeing and smoking status. Participants will also be required to provide their self-reported weight. On admission for surgery, they will be assessed for frailty using frailty score assessments

Post - Operative Morbidity score(POMS) will be assessed during admission ( Day1, Day 3, Day 5, Day 7, etc) after surgery.

Discharge: (conducted either remotely or face to face):

Participants will complete a reassessment of health-related quality of life, disease-specific quality of life, psychological wellbeing and smoking status. Participants will also complete the 6-MWT.

6 weeks post-surgery (conducted remotely or face-to-face): Participants will complete a reassessment of health-related quality of life, disease-specific quality of life, psychological wellbeing and smoking status. Participants will also complete the 6-MWT.

90-days post-surgery (conducted remotely or face-to-face): Participants will complete reassessment of health-related quality of life, disease-specific quality of life, psychological wellbeing and smoking status. Participants will also complete the 6-MWT. Participants will also complete a frailty assessment score (Rockall)

Treatments Standard national and local practice will be followed for the repair of infra-renal aortic aneurysm. Patients will receive any type of repair as decided by the local Vascular Multi-Disciplinary Team.

Primary Outcome Prehabilitation Programme compliance, attendance and acceptability.

Secondary Outcomes

• In-Hospital Complication Rate - Composite of Cardiac, Respiratory, Renal, Haemorrhage, Limb Ischaemia and Cerebral Complications, as defined by National Vascular Registry
• Length of stay and readmission rates (30 days post-surgery)
• 30-day Composite Outcome: Death and Defined complication (Cardiac, respiratory, haemorrhage, limb ischaemia, renal failure)
• Change in 6-minute walk test (6-MWT) at end of programme, Discharge, 6-weeks (Post discharge) and 3 months (Post Discharge)
• Change in health-related quality of life scores (using the EuroQol five-dimensional questionnaire [EQ-5D] and visual analogue scale [EQ-VAS]) at end of programme, Discharge, 6-weeks (Post discharge) and 3 months (Post Discharge)
• Post-Operative Morbidity score (POMS)
• Change in aneurysm specific quality of life scores at end of programme, Discharge, 6-weeks (Post discharge) and 3 months (Post Discharge)
• Change in Hospital Anxiety and Depression Score (HADS) at 6-weeks post enrolment and 30 and 90-days post-surgery
• Reduction in cigarettes per day at 6-weeks post enrolment and 30 and 90-days post-surgery
• Change in weight (in kg) 6-weeks post enrolment and 30 and 90-days post-surgery

Inclusion criteria

• Adults (aged 55 years and over) who have been diagnosed with an AAA and are scheduled to undergo EVAR or open surgery (with a wait time of at least 6-weeks for surgery).
• Patients with an AAA with a diameter of 5.5cm to 7cm
• Able to write, understand and communicate in English
• Willing and able to participate in a virtual prehabilitation programme

Exclusion criteria

• Thoraco-Abdominal Aneurysms
• Connective tissue Vascular Disorder
• Symptomatic aneurysms
• Previous Aortic intervention
• Absolute contraindication to exercise
• Inability or unwillingness to participate in the trial
• Infrarenal AAA diameter exceeding 7.0cm
• Emergency AAA repair
• BMI below 20 kg/m2 or above 45 kg/m2