Exercise MRI to Evaluate Cardiorespiratory Fitness in Children With Heart Disease

Launched by UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA · Mar 15, 2024

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial, titled "Exercise MRI to Evaluate Cardiorespiratory Fitness in Children With Heart Disease," is studying how children's hearts and muscles work together during exercise, especially for those with heart conditions. Researchers want to learn more about how exercise affects blood flow and oxygen use in the heart and muscles. To do this, they will use a special type of scan called magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) while participants exercise. The goal is to better understand the challenges that kids with heart disease face when it comes to staying active and leading heart-healthy lives.

To participate in this study, children aged 10 to 18 who are being treated at Stollery Children's Hospital and have specific heart conditions, like being a heart transplant recipient for at least six months or having moderate to complex congenital heart disease, may be eligible. Participants will undergo exercise tests while being monitored with MRI, which is a safe and non-invasive way to look at how their heart and muscles are functioning. It's important for potential participants to discuss their medical history with their doctors, as certain health issues may prevent them from joining. Overall, this study aims to improve understanding of heart health in young patients and help them stay active.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • 10 - 18 year olds followed at the Stollery Children's Hospital
• • Heart transplant recipients ≥6 months post-transplant
• • Have a moderate-complex congenital heart disease diagnosis
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Non-English speaking
• • Exercise restricted by the patient's clinical cardiologist
• • Clinical antibody- or cellular-mediated rejection within 3-months of the assessment or during the study period (for HTRs)
• • Previous involvement in a CR or exercise intervention program
• • Previous exercise stress test demonstrating sustained arrhythmias, ST segment elevation or depression greater than 3mm, an inappropriate rise in blood pressure (BP) (\<20 mmHg) or a systolic BP \>200 mmHg, or symptoms of chest pain or syncope
• • Resting arterial saturation \<85% or oxygen requirements
• • Moderate ventricular systolic dysfunction (or worse) at the most recent echocardiogram
• • History of chest pain on exertion; unrepaired/unpalliated CHD
• • Arrhythmias in the last year (including supraventricular tachycardia, ventricular tachycardia, atrioventricular block or history of (Mobitz II or worse))
• • New York Heart Association class II or worse symptoms
• • Active medical inter-current illness limiting ability to participate
• • Cognitive impairment limiting the communication needed for the exercise MRI
• • Research MRI contraindications (e.g. any type of pacemaker), or any orthopedic limitation preventing exercise testing
• • Extracardiac or congenital abnormality limiting the participant's functional ability to exercise
• • Pregnant