Lung Transplant Candidates: Effects of Aerobic vs. HIIT Training on ICF Assessments

Launched by ANKARA CITY HOSPITAL BILKENT · Jul 3, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is looking at how two types of exercise—high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and moderate continuous training—affect people who are waiting for a lung transplant because of lung diseases like interstitial lung disease (ILD). The goal is to find out which exercise method better improves physical strength and daily activity levels, which can be very important for patients’ health before and after their transplant. The study will use special assessments to see how the exercises impact body function and everyday participation.

People who might join this study are adults diagnosed with ILD, currently being cared for at a specific hospital, and are on the lung transplant waiting list. Participants should be able to walk and have some breathing difficulty but still be well enough to exercise regularly. Those with certain health problems, like serious heart or muscle issues, won’t be included. If you join, you’ll take part in a supervised exercise program where your responses and progress will be closely monitored to understand the benefits of these different training approaches. This research hopes to help improve exercise programs for people waiting for lung transplants, potentially leading to better health outcomes.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Being diagnosed with interstitial lung disease and being followed up at the Ankara City Hospital Chest Diseases Clinic,
• • Being 18 years of age or older,
• • Patients who are being followed up with a diagnosis of ILD according to the ATS/ERS 2022 international ILD guideline,
• • Being on the lung transplant waiting list according to the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation and are being evaluated for listing and are being followed up by the chest diseases department (25-28),
• • Being willing to participate in the exercise program regularly and volunteering to participate in the study,
• • Patients who have dyspnea levels of 2 and above according to the Modified Medical Research Council dyspnea scale and are able to ambulate,
• • Patients who receive long-term oxygen support will be included.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Patients with a history of exertional syncope,
• • Patients in acute exacerbation,
• • Patients with sarcoidosis,
• • Patients with serious comorbidities that may limit exercise (e.g. musculoskeletal, neurological or cardiovascular problems) will not be included.
• • Patients with an aortic aneurysm greater than 5.5 cm,
• • Patients with cardiovascular impediments to exercise during cardiological evaluations prior to pulmonary rehabilitation