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NCT Number: NCT07214350

Sex Differences in Barriers and Participation in Physical Activity During and Following Cardiac Rehabilitation

The SPARC study will measure physical activity and functional fitness during cardiac rehabilitation, right after completion of cardiac rehabilitation, and 6 months later. This will help investigators learn if men and women maintain physical activity levels and functional fitness differently during and after they complete cardiac rehabilitation. Participants in this study will have three in-person study visits and may complete two qualitative interviews over a 10-month study period. The greatest risks during the study include physical discomfort, falling, and/or shortness of breath during the fitness testing.

Recruiting

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Key information

Conditions

Cardiac Rehabilitation Behavior Cardiovascular Diseases Heart Disease Heart Diseases Motor Activity

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Observational

Primary location

Duke Center for Living

Durham, North Carolina, 27705, United States

Location status: Recruiting

Location contact

Katherine A Collins-Bennett, PhD

CONTACT

[email protected]

919-479-2368

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

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

Inclusion criteria

  • Age > 18 years
  • Enrolled in cardiac rehabilitation within the last month
  • Own a smartphone or tablet for mobile application download

Exclusion criteria

  • Planned relocation during the study period out of the local area
  • Planned medical procedure within the study period that may limit physical activity (i.e., joint replacement)
  • End-stage kidney disease
  • Impairment from stroke, injury, or other medical conditions that would prevent participation in or completion of the protocol
  • Heart transplant
  • Use of a left ventricular assist device
  • Pregnant or intending to become pregnant during the study period
  • Any other illness that, in the opinion of the study physician, would negatively impact or mitigate participation in or completion of the protocol

Treatment and study plan

Primary outcomes

  1. Average Daily Step Count

    Time frame: Baseline, 3 months, 9 months

    Calculated as an average of daily steps achieved over the previous week at each timepoint.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Average moderate-to-vigorous physical activity minutes per week

    Time frame: 9 months

    Self-reported moderate-to-vigorous-intensity physical activity minutes per week using the Paffenbarger Physical Activity Questionnaire.

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Johanna L. Johnson, MS

CONTACT

[email protected]

919-660-6766

Katherine A Collins-Bennett, PhD

CONTACT

[email protected]

919-479-2368

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Duke University

Other

Collaborators

  • National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)

Registry information

Acronym: SPARC

Important dates

Study start
2025
Primary completion
2029
Study completion
2030
First posted
Oct 9, 2025
Registry last updated
Dec 3, 2025

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.

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