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CompletedNCT04045977Updated Dec 3, 2019

Virtual Therapy as a Method Supporting the Cardiac Rehabilitation

An interventional study of Cardiac rehabilitation and Virtual therapeutic support in Cardiovascular Diseases, Coronary Artery Disease and Depressive Symptoms, sponsored by Wroclaw University of Health and Sport Sciences. Completed at 2 sites in Poland. Open to participants aged 60 Years to 80 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2019-12-03.

Sponsored by Wroclaw University of Health and Sport Sciences · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment

Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
34
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
60 Years to 80 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

This study evaluates the effectiveness of virtual reality (VR) therapy in the treatment of depression and anxiety symptoms in patients undergoing second stage of cardiac rehabilitation. Half of the study group will receive VR therapy (VR group) as an addition to cardiologically monitored physical training. The other half of the group (control group) will receive Schultz Autogenic Training as a standard supplement to cardiological training.

Read the detailed description

Cardiologically monitored physical training in second stage of cardiac rehabilitation leads to the improvement in the physical capacity and overall fitness of the patients with Coronary Artery Disease, allowing restoration of independence in daily functioning. Psychological support is required in order to reduce the negative psychological symptoms related to both the heart disease itself and the cardiac surgery performed. In this study the investigators want to assess the effectiveness of the virtual reality (VR) therapy compared to standard psychological support (Schultz Autogenic Training).

Thanks to using head mounted display and the phenomenon of total immersion VR therapy allows to completely separate the patient from the hospital environment, provides an intense visual, auditory and kinesthetic stimulation. Depending on the stage of therapy it can have a calming and mood-improving effect or, in another part of the therapy, it can motivate the patient to the rehabilitation process. The additional aim of the VR therapy is to help the patients regain their emotional balance, let them recognize their psychological resources and trigger the natural recovery mechanisms.

The goals of the project:

  1. The evaluation of the influence of VR therapy on the depressive symptoms and the anxiety level of the patients undergoing second stage of cardiac rehabilitation.
  2. The evaluation of the influence of VR therapy on the stress level of the patients undergoing second stage of cardiac rehabilitation.
02

Conditions studied

  • Cardiovascular Diseases
  • Coronary Artery Disease
  • Depressive Symptoms
  • Mood Disorders
  • Anxiety State
  • Stress

Keywords

  • virtual reality
  • cardiac rehabilitation
  • psychotherapy
  • cardiac surgery
  • depression
  • anxiety
  • stress
  • elderly
  • Coronary Artery Disease
  • Ischemic Heart Disease
03

In context

Cardiovascular Diseases

5,025 studies on the registry are indexed under Cardiovascular Diseases; 930 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 34 is below the median of 100 across 2,801 interventional studies indexed under Cardiovascular Diseases.

Browse Cardiovascular Diseases studies →

Lead sponsor

Wroclaw University of Health and Sport Sciences is the lead sponsor of 46 studies on the registry; 10 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
60 Years to 80 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

  • Coronary Artery Disease;
  • the second stage of cardiac rehabilitation conducted in outpatient settings;
  • anxiety symptoms scored 8 and more in HADS-A or depressive symptoms scored 8 and more in HADS-D.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • cognitive impairment (MMSE\<24);
  • inability to self-complete the research questionnaires;
  • presence of the following issues at the time of the examination or in the medical data: disturbances of consciousness, psychotic symptoms or other serious psychiatric disorders;
  • initiation of psychiatric treatment during the research project;
  • contraindications for virtual therapy (epilepsy, vertigo, eyesight impairment);
  • the patient's refusal at any stage of the research project.
05

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Single (Outcomes assessor)
Enrollment
34 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    VR therapy group

    Cardiac rehabilitation supplemented by VR therapy

    Behavioral: Cardiac rehabilitation · Device: Virtual therapeutic support

  • Active comparator
    Control Group

    Cardiac rehabilitation supplemented by Schultz Autogenic Training

    Behavioral: Cardiac rehabilitation · Behavioral: Standard therapeutic support

Interventions

  • BehavioralCardiac rehabilitation

    Four weeks of cardiac rehabilitation conducted in an outpatient care facility. Three times per week (80 minutes per day) cardiologically monitored aerobic training consisting of: 40 minutes of interval training on a cycloergometer and 40 minutes of general fitness exercises.

  • DeviceVirtual therapeutic support

    8 sessions of VR therapy (each of them 20 minutes long). As a virtual reality source, VR Tier One device (Stolgraf®) were used. Thanks to using head mounted display and the phenomenon of total immersion VR therapy provides an intense visual, auditory and kinesthetic stimulation. It can have a calming and mood-improving effect or help the patients recognize their psychological resources and motivate to the rehabilitation process. In the virtual therapeutic garden there are a rich set of symbols and metaphors based on Ericksonian Psychotherapy approach. The most important is the Garden of Revival which symbolizes the patient's health. It used to be full of life and energy, now it is neglected, requires work to be revived. In the therapeutic process day by day, the therapist tells the patient a symbolic story about his/her situation. By performing tasks in the virtual garden, the patient becomes an active participant of the therapeutic process and sees the effects his/her work.

  • BehavioralStandard therapeutic support

    8 sessions of Schultz Autogenic Training (each of them 20 minutes long).

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS)

    The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) is a fourteen-item scale scoring from 0 to 3 for each item. The first seven items relate to anxiety (HADS-A), and the remaining seven items relate to depression (HADS-D). The global scoring ranges from 0 to 42 with a cut-off point of 8/21 for anxiety and 8/21 for depression. The higher the score, the greater anxiety or depression symptoms. HADS will be performed at the beginning and after four weeks of treatment.

    Time frame: 15 minutes

Secondary outcomes

  1. Perception of Stress Questionnaire (PSQ)

    The Perception of Stress Questionnaire (PSQ) is a 27-item scale scoring from 1 to 5 for each item. 21 items examine the level of stress in the area of emotional tension, external stress and intrapsychic stress, and 6 items refer to the lie scale. The global scoring for perception of stress ranges from 21 to 105 with a cut-off point of 60 for high level of perceived stress. The higher the score, the greater the sense of stress. PSQ will be performed at the beginning and after four weeks of treatment.

    Time frame: 30 minutes

07

Study locations

2 sites
  • University School of Physical Education
    Wroclaw, Lower Silesian Voivodeship 51-612, Poland
  • Centrum Kardiologiczne Pro Corde Sp. z o.o.
    Wroclaw, Lower Silesian Voivodeship 52-244, Poland
08

References and documents

Publications

  • Li J, Theng YL, Foo S. Game-based digital interventions for depression therapy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Cyberpsychol Behav Soc Netw. 2014 Aug;17(8):519-27. doi: 10.1089/cyber.2013.0481. Epub 2014 May 8. PubMed 24810933 ↗
  • McCann RA, Armstrong CM, Skopp NA, Edwards-Stewart A, Smolenski DJ, June JD, Metzger-Abamukong M, Reger GM. Virtual reality exposure therapy for the treatment of anxiety disorders: an evaluation of research quality. J Anxiety Disord. 2014 Aug;28(6):625-31. doi: 10.1016/j.janxdis.2014.05.010. Epub 2014 Jun 7. PubMed 25093964 ↗
  • Maples-Keller JL, Bunnell BE, Kim SJ, Rothbaum BO. The Use of Virtual Reality Technology in the Treatment of Anxiety and Other Psychiatric Disorders. Harv Rev Psychiatry. 2017 May/Jun;25(3):103-113. doi: 10.1097/HRP.0000000000000138. PubMed 28475502 ↗
  • Freeman D, Reeve S, Robinson A, Ehlers A, Clark D, Spanlang B, Slater M. Virtual reality in the assessment, understanding, and treatment of mental health disorders. Psychol Med. 2017 Oct;47(14):2393-2400. doi: 10.1017/S003329171700040X. Epub 2017 Mar 22. PubMed 28325167 ↗
  • Valmaggia LR, Latif L, Kempton MJ, Rus-Calafell M. Virtual reality in the psychological treatment for mental health problems: An systematic review of recent evidence. Psychiatry Res. 2016 Feb 28;236:189-195. doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2016.01.015. Epub 2016 Jan 12. PubMed 26795129 ↗
  • Szczepanska-Gieracha J, Morka J, Kowalska J, Kustrzycki W, Rymaszewska J. The role of depressive and anxiety symptoms in the evaluation of cardiac rehabilitation efficacy after coronary artery bypass grafting surgery. Eur J Cardiothorac Surg. 2012 Nov;42(5):e108-14. doi: 10.1093/ejcts/ezs463. Epub 2012 Aug 19. PubMed 22906598 ↗
  • Thompson T, Steffert T, Steed A, Gruzelier J. A randomized controlled trial of the effects of hypnosis with 3-D virtual reality animation on tiredness, mood, and salivary cortisol. Int J Clin Exp Hypn. 2011 Jan;59(1):122-42. doi: 10.1080/00207144.2011.522917. PubMed 21104488 ↗
  • Szczepanska-Gieracha J, Jozwik S, Cieslik B, Mazurek J, Gajda R. Immersive Virtual Reality Therapy as a Support for Cardiac Rehabilitation: A Pilot Randomized-Controlled Trial. Cyberpsychol Behav Soc Netw. 2021 Aug;24(8):543-549. doi: 10.1089/cyber.2020.0297. Epub 2021 Feb 11. PubMed 33577375 ↗

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

09

Timeline

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
ElapsedEstimatedEstimated, not yet reachedSimilar studies: half by the dot; the band is the middle halfHalf of similar studies reached it by the dot; the band is the middle half, from a quarter to three quarters

Ran from Jun 2019 to primary completion in Sep 2019, 3 months.

Of 1,032 non-industry interventional studies with no phase under Cardiovascular Diseases, half reached primary completion within 25 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 12 and three quarters within 48. This study's 3 months is below that.

Counting every sponsor, half of 1,148 studies reached it within 26 months; a quarter within 13 and three quarters within 49.

Cardiovascular Diseases covers many different conditions, not one, so the studies compared here vary widely. Read these figures as a rough guide.

How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.

Registered
Jul 31, 2019
First posted
Aug 6, 2019
StartActual
Jun 6, 2019
Primary completionActual
Sep 30, 2019
CompletionActual
Oct 30, 2019
Last update
Dec 3, 2019
What these dates mean
Start.
When the first participant enrolled; while estimated, when the study expects to open to recruitment.
Primary completion.
When the last participant was examined or treated to collect data for the study's main question, its primary outcome. A study that stopped early gives the date its data collection stopped.
Completion.
When the last participant's last visit took place, for every outcome, secondary ones and side effects included: the end of the study. Often later than primary completion, sometimes the same day.
Actual and Est.
Actual means the registry says the date has happened. Est. (estimated) is a date the sponsor plans or expects. It can still move, and the sponsor is expected to change it to actual once it has passed.
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Dec 3, 2019, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT04045977
Lead sponsor
Wroclaw University of Health and Sport Sciences
Collaborators
Foundation for Senior Citizen Activation SIWY DYM
Responsible party
Joanna Szczepańska-Gieracha (professor, Wroclaw University of Health and Sport Sciences) — Principal investigator
First posted
Aug 6, 2019
Start date
Jun 6, 2019
Primary completion
Sep 30, 2019
Completion
Oct 30, 2019
Last update
Dec 3, 2019

Study contacts

Joanna Szczepańska-Gieracha, Prof
study director · University School of Physical Education, Poland
Joanna Szczepańska-Gieracha, Prof
principal investigator · University School of Physical Education, Poland
Sandra Jóźwik
study chair · University School of Physical Education, Poland

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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