Actively Recruiting

Phase Not Applicable
Age: 55Years +
All Genders
ID06607913

BCCMA: Recovery of Aged Muscle After Disuse Atrophy (REMEDY) Exercise and Monitoring With Post-Hospitalization Muscle Atrophy to Sustain Intrinsic Capacity and Strength (EMPHASIS)

Led by VA Office of Research and Development · Updated on 2026-04-07

250

Participants Needed

2

Research Sites

52 weeks

Total Duration

On this page

AI-Summary

What this Trial Is About

This research focuses on older Veterans with chronic kidney disease (CKD), a group at higher risk for hospital-acquired muscle weakness and difficulty fully regaining muscle mass and function after hospitalization. The study aims to improve health by detecting and managing muscle loss related to hospitalization, identifying the best muscle sites for assessment, understanding how muscle health affects hospital stay length and physical resilience, and comparing different exercise methods for recovery. Participants will be enrolled from two Veterans Affairs sites and assessed for muscle strength, mass, composition, mobility, and intrinsic capacity before hospitalization. They will be monitored regularly for at least two years, with muscle health assessments every six months and quarterly strength and function reports via a smartphone app. Those hospitalized will be randomly assigned to either a supervised exercise program focusing on squats, shoulder press, seated row, and bicep curl twice weekly for 16 weeks or to usual care without exercise intervention. Throughout the study, participants will undergo various muscle thickness measurements and strength tests at four and ten months. Researchers will track physical function and resilience through performance tests and feedback. The study includes regular monitoring, data collection, and use of a smartphone app to gather participant information, aiming to better predict hospital outcomes and evaluate the impact of supervised exercise versus usual care on recovery from muscle atrophy.

CONDITIONS

Brief Title

Exercise and Monitoring With Post-Hospitalization Muscle Atrophy to Sustain Intrinsic Capacity and Strength

Who Can Participate

Age: 55Years +
All Genders

Eligibility Criteria

Eligible

You may qualify if you...

  • Age over 55 years
  • Diagnosis of stage 3-4 chronic kidney disease or an eGFR below 45 mL/min/1.73m2
Not Eligible

You will not qualify if you...

  • Poorly controlled hypertension greater than 160/100
  • Coronary event in past 6 months
  • Class III or IV congestive heart failure
  • Symptomatic angina at rest or during exercise
  • Syncope in past year without known resolution
  • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease requiring home oxygen
  • Contraindications to resistance training including history of intracranial or retinal bleeding
  • Diabetes with active proliferative retinopathy
  • History of significant spinal osteoarthritis or spinal stenosis
  • Dementia based on medical record or mini-mental status exam score

AI-Screening

AI-Powered Screening

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Your Study Journey

Screening

Duration - 2 to 4 weeks

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial.

1 visit (in-person)

Baseline Assessment

Duration - At enrollment

Participants' muscle health, including strength, lean muscle mass, muscle composition, mobility, and intrinsic capacity, is assessed to establish a pre-hospitalization baseline.

1 visit (in-person)

Long-term Monitoring

Duration - At least 2 years

Participants are monitored with regular assessments of muscle health every six months and provide information about strength and functional status every quarter through a smartphone application.

Quarterly remote assessments and biannual in-person assessments

Treatment

Duration - 16 weeks

Participants who are hospitalized are randomized to either a supervised flywheel strengthening exercise program or usual care. The exercise program involves performing 4 specific movements twice a week for 16 weeks.

Twice weekly exercise sessions

Trial Site Locations

Total: 2 locations

1

Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center, Aurora, CO

Aurora, Colorado, United States, 80045-7211

Actively Recruiting

2

Baltimore VA Medical Center VA Maryland Health Care System, Baltimore, MD

Baltimore, Maryland, United States, 21201

Actively Recruiting

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Research Team

M

Michael Harris-Love, DSc MPT BS

K

Katie Boncella, MS

How is the study designed?

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Masking

NONE

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Model

PARALLEL

Primary Purpose

TREATMENT

Number of Arms

2

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