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Completed

NCT Number: NCT04093869

Improving Lung Transplant Outcomes With Coping Skills and Physical Activity

This study evaluates the effectiveness of a coping skills and exercise (CSTEX) intervention among post lung transplant patients aimed to reduce distress and improve functional capacity. Half of the patients will receive CSTEX and half will receive the standard of care plus transplant education (SOC-ED).

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Key information

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Duke University Medical Center

Durham, North Carolina, 27710, United States

About this study

The study will aim to evaluate the effectiveness of the CSTEX intervention in (i) reducing distress and (ii) improving functional capacity. It is hypothesized that compared to SOC-ED, the CSTEX intervention will result in 1) greater reductions in global distress measured by an established psychometric test battery; and 2) greater improvements in functional capacity assessed by distance walked on a standard Six Minute Walk test (6MWT).

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Single or bilateral first lung transplant recipient; discharged from the hospital and at least 6 weeks post-transplant; completed post-transplant pulmonary rehabilitation within the past 18 months; on stable medication regimen; proficient in the English language

Exclusion criteria

  • Illness such as malignancies that are associated with a life-expectancy of < 12 months; current pregnancy; inability to read or to provide informed consent; multi-organ transplant recipient or repeat lung transplant.

Treatment and study plan

Coping Skills Training combined with Exercise (CSTEX)

Behavioral

The CSTEX condition has two integrated components: the CST component will systematically train patients in the use of coping skills for stress reduction and promote key transplant-specific health behaviors. The exercise component of the intervention will progressively increase participants exercise and promote daily physical activity through motivational interviewing strategies.

Standard of Care plus Education (SOC-ED)

Behavioral

The SOC-ED condition provides support and enhanced post-transplant education. Participants will be given detailed educational information about post-transplant care, the importance of medication adherence, and maintenance of physical activity.

Primary outcomes

  1. Change in Global Psychological Distress

    Time frame: Baseline to 12 weeks

    A composite distress score will assess change from baseline to 12 weeks (post-intervention) and combine the following instruments: General Health Questionnaire, Perceived Stress Scale, Beck Depression Inventory-II, State Trait Anxiety Inventory, and PROMIS Anger. The composite distress score is the average of the participant's rank for change (from baseline to 12 weeks) on each of the 5 scales. A lower rank represents more improvement (decrease in global distress) and higher ranks represent less improvement (or worsening of distress). Scoring is based on the number of participants analyzed; in this case the possible score range is 1-180. The change value is calculated as T2 (12 weeks) - T1 (baseline).

Secondary outcomes

  1. Change in Functional Capacity

    Time frame: Baseline to 12 weeks

    Functional capacity will be measured by distance walked on a standard Six Minute Walk Test (6MWT) at baseline and again post-intervention at 12 weeks. Distance measured in feet. Greater distance represents better functional capacity. The change value is calculated as T2 (12 weeks) - T1 (baseline).

  2. Change in Physical Activity

    Time frame: Baseline to 12 weeks

    Daily physical activity (average steps per day) will be assessed via a wrist-worn activity monitor (Actigraph GT9X Link) for 7 consecutive days at baseline and again post-intervention at 12 weeks. The change value is calculated as T2 (12 weeks) - T1 (baseline).

  3. Change in Sleep Quality

    Time frame: Baseline to 12 weeks

    Sleep quality (average total minutes of sleep per night) will be assessed via the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index at baseline and again post-intervention at 12 weeks. The change value is calculated as T2 (12 weeks) - T1 (baseline).

  4. Change in Quality of Life

    Time frame: Baseline to 12 weeks

    Quality of Life will be assessed via the Lung Transplant Quality of Life Survey, which is comprised of 10 scales that measure symptoms, health perceptions, functioning, and well being at baseline and again post-intervention at 12 weeks. The QOL overall score ranges from 1 to 5, with a higher score indicating worse health. The change value is calculated as T2 (12 weeks) - T1 (baseline).

  5. Change in Frailty

    Time frame: Baseline to 12 weeks

    Frailty will be measured by performance on the Fried Frailty Index. This assessment includes measures on patient's weight, exhaustion level, physical activity, walking speed, and hand grip strength at baseline and again post-intervention at 12 weeks. Scores range from 0 to 5, with lower scores indicating less frailty. The change value is calculated as T2 (12 weeks) - T1 (baseline).

  6. Change in Problem-Focused Coping

    Time frame: Baseline to 12 weeks

    Coping was assessed via the Brief COPE Inventory, which is composed of scales that measure problem-focused coping, emotion-focused coping, and avoidant coping responses at baseline and again post-intervention at 12 weeks. Items are scored on a 4-point Likert scale, with 1 indicating a coping mechanism that the participant has not been doing at all, to 4 indicating a coping mechanism in which the participant has been doing a lot. A higher average score within the problem-focused subscale indicates better coping strategies. The change value is calculated as T2 (12 weeks) - T1 (baseline).

  7. Change in Emotion-Focused Coping

    Time frame: Baseline to 12 weeks

    Coping was assessed via the Brief COPE Inventory, which is composed of scales that measure problem-focused coping, emotion-focused coping, and avoidant coping responses at baseline and again post-intervention at 12 weeks. Items are scored on a 4-point Likert scale, with 1 indicating a coping mechanism that the participant has not been doing at all, to 4 indicating a coping mechanism in which the participant has been doing a lot. A higher score within the emotion-focused coping subscale indicates better coping strategies. The change value is calculated as T2 (12 weeks) - T1 (baseline).

  8. Change in Avoidant Coping

    Time frame: Baseline to 12 weeks

    Coping was assessed via the Brief COPE Inventory, which is composed of scales that measure problem-focused coping, emotion-focused coping, and avoidant coping responses at baseline and again post-intervention at 12 weeks. Items are scored on a 4-point Likert scale, with 1 indicating a coping mechanism that the participant has not been doing at all, to 4 indicating a coping mechanism in which the participant has been doing a lot. A lower score within the avoidant coping subscale indicates a more useful coping strategy. The change value is calculated as T2 (12 weeks) - T1 (baseline).

  9. Change in Self-Efficacy

    Time frame: Baseline to 12 weeks

    Self-efficacy will be assessed via the General Self-Efficacy Scale, which is a 10-item scale that measures emotional distress at baseline and again post-intervention at 12 weeks. Scores range from 10-40 with a higher score indicating better self-efficacy. The change value is calculated as T2 (12 weeks) - T1 (baseline).

  10. Chronic Lung Allograft Dysfunction (CLAD) Free Survival

    Time frame: Up to 3 years post-treatment

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Duke University

Other

Registry information

Acronym: INSPIRE-III

Important dates

Study start
2019
Primary completion
2024
Study completion
2026
First posted
Sep 18, 2019
Registry last updated
Feb 27, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.