# Electronically Delivered Home Rehabilitation to Improve Symptoms and Activity After Pulmonary Embolism

> **NIH NIH K23** · UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER · 2024 · $187,296

## Abstract

This proposed Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award will support Dr. Lachant’s
advancement as a physician-scientist equipped to conduct independent research which sensibly utilizes
emerging wearable technology and rehabilitation strategies to improve the lives of patients with heart and lung
disease. The research project itself will study the impact of an electronically-delivered rehabilitation program
early after hospitalization for acute pulmonary embolism. The proposed research study will build on a
foundation of didactic coursework and provide an opportunity for mentored development in clinical trial design
and execution. A key training goal will be to develop and automate analysis of novel end points using
wearable technology (heart rate and activity); he will also gain expertise in biostatistics, management and
analysis of massive data sets, and the role of exercise in disease. Completion of this award will allow Dr.
Lachant to become an independent researcher performing decentralized clinical trials incorporating wearable
devices in pulmonary vascular disease towards the goal of delivering optimal home rehabilitation programs.
Residual dyspnea (Post-PE Syndrome) is common (~50%) after acute PE and is associated with increased
morbidity and healthcare utilization. Exercise after acute pulmonary embolism is generally recommended in
the 2019 European Society of Cardiology guidelines without any details (appropriate location, degree of
intensity, type of monitoring). Dr. Lachant’s hypothesis is that an early rehabilitation program incorporating
heart rate monitoring will reduce post PE syndrome by addressing deconditioning and anxiety, two factors
associated with Post-PE syndrome. To test this hypothesis, Dr. Lachant will enroll patients hospitalized with
acute pulmonary embolism into an electronically-delivered rehabilitation program within seven days of
discharge. We will evaluate whether a prescriptive exercise program which gradually intensifies over 8 weeks
is better than regular electronic contact to decrease Post-PE syndrome. Since Post-PE syndrome does not
have a diagnostic test, he will evaluate multiple parameters as surrogates for Post-PE syndrome, including an
end point combining a change in activity with a reduction in PEmb quality of life questionnaires (Aim 1). The
optimal activity tracker wear time and exercise compliance will also be evaluated (Aim 2). We will be
intentionally inclusive in our recruitment and seek to determine whether sex, race/ethnicity, or socioeconomic
factors associate with outcomes or participation. The study results will provide invaluable data for Dr. Lachant
to design a multicenter, prospective study implementing a decentralized, home-based rehabilitation after
hospitalized acute PE. His project mentors are experts in exercise and rehabilitation (Karen Mustian, Ph.D,
MPH) and pulmonary vascular disease (R. James White, MD, Ph.D); experts in pulmonary embolism clinical
trials (Jeff...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10784489
- **Project number:** 1K23HL171867-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER
- **Principal Investigator:** Daniel Lachant
- **Activity code:** K23 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $187,296
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-08-15 → 2028-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10784489

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10784489, Electronically Delivered Home Rehabilitation to Improve Symptoms and Activity After Pulmonary Embolism (1K23HL171867-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10784489. Licensed CC0.

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