What this study is
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if a home-based exercise program can be safely and feasibly used to improve physical activity and physical function in adults waiting for a kidney transplant. The study will also learn how acceptable and useful this program is for participants.
The main questions it aims to answer are:
- Can a remote exercise program be delivered successfully to people on the kidney transplant waiting list?
- Do participants follow the exercise program and wear a physical activity tracker as asked?
- Is the program safe and well tolerated?
Researchers will compare two groups to see if the exercise program leads to higher physical activity and better physical function:
- Usual pre-transplant care with a physical activity tracker
- Usual pre-transplant care plus an online exercise program
Participants will:
- Wear a wrist activity tracker to measure daily physical activity
- Complete a one-week baseline period before being assigned to a study group
- Be randomly assigned (like flipping a coin) to one of two groups
- If assigned to the exercise group, take part in online exercise classes at home for 12 weeks with reminders and feedback, and then another 12 weeks without reminders and feedback
- Answer questionnaires about their health, activity, and experience in the study
This study may help researchers learn how to better support people waiting for kidney transplant through safe, home-based exercise programs.
What's being tested
- Exercise Rehabilitation Program with Physical Activity Tracker
Intervention · BEHAVIORAL
Participants in this arm will continue to receive their usual pre-transplant care and will also take part in a 12-week, home-based exercise prehabilitation program. Participants will receive a wrist-worn physical activity tracker and access to an online exercise platform designed for people with kidney disease. The program includes live and on-demand exercise classes that focus on light-to-moderate intensity aerobic and resistance exercises. Participants will be asked to complete at least two exercise classes per week. The intervention is delivered remotely, and participants will complete a brief virtual orientation before starting the program. The participants will receive reminders and feedback from the study team about their exercise and physical activity engagement. After the 12 week period, this group will be asked to continue to participate in the exercise program but without study reminders or feedback related to their exercise.
- Active control
Intervention · OTHER
Participants continue standard pre-transplant care provided by the transplant center and to wear a wrist worn activity tracker to measure daily step counts/physical activity.
Study details
- Official title
- KINETIC -- Kidney Transplant Improvement Through New Exercise Training to Increase Capacity
- Sponsor
- University of Pennsylvania
- Conditions
- Chronic Kidney Disease 5D · Chronic Kidney Disease Stage 5 · Kidney Failure · Kidney Failure,Chronic · Renal Insufficiency Chronic · Chronic Kidney Disease Stage 4 · Kidney Transplantation · Waiting List · Transplant Candidate · Exercise Theraphy
- Enrolling
- 60 people
- Starts
- 2026-03-24
- Est. completion
- 2028-05
- Design
- Open-label, randomized, parallel groups
- Record
- View on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
Who can join
Age 60 Years and overSex ALLHealthy volunteers Not acceptedYou may qualify if
- Be at least 60 years old
- Receive transplant care at Penn Medicine
- Be on the kidney transplant waiting list
- Speak and comprehend English
- Be able to walk
- Have at least one physical function limitation OR at least one frailty metric
- Have access to a device capable of connecting to the Internet and downloading an application
- Be able to provide written informed consent
- Be cleared for participant via the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PARQ) verified against medical record or via written medical clearance from a clinician
You can't join if
- Have had a myocardial infarction or a stroke in the 3 months immediately prior to enrollment
- Be unable to self-monitor with study devices (i.e., have a condition such as dementia)
- Not cleared by PARQ or receive written medical clearance to exercise
- Participate in another physical activity study
- Have any other reason they do not expect to be able to complete the study
Sign in and we'll check these against your records.Full criteria on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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Study locations (1)
1 openPerelman Center for Advanced Medicine
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
- Sarah Schrauben, MD, MS · Contact267-324-7588sarahsch@upenn.edu
Recruiting
Study team
Sponsor
University of Pennsylvania
Study ID 859280
Principal investigator
Sarah Schrauben, MD, MSCE
University of Pennsylvania
Frequently asked questions
The sponsor hasn't published answers to common questions for this trial.