Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40967642›Full record

Trial reportBMJ open2025

Personalised Exercise Rehabilitation FOR people with Multiple long-term conditions (PERFORM): findings from a process evaluation of a randomised feasibility study.

Sophie Eleanor Brown, Sharon Anne Anne Simpson, Colin Greaves, Paulina Daw, Sarah Gerard Dean, Rachael A Evans, Tom M Withers, Zahira Ahmed, Shaun Barber, Gwen Barwell and 16 more

Abstract readRandomized Controlled TrialMulticenter Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in BMJ open, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Trial
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

26 authors.

Sophie Eleanor BrownSchool of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8622-5507
Sharon Anne Anne SimpsonSchool of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK sharon.simpson@glasgow.ac.uk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6219-1768
Colin GreavesSchool of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
Paulina DawSchool of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
Sarah Gerard DeanMedical School, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3682-5149
Rachael A EvansRespiratory Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1667-868X
Tom M WithersSchool of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5286-7189
Zahira AhmedRespiratory Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK.
Shaun BarberLeicester Clinical Trials Unit, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK.
Gwen BarwellLeicester Clinical Trials Unit, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK.
Patrick Joseph DohertyHealth Sciences, University of York, York, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1887-0237
Nikki GardinerUniversity Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, Leicester, UK.
Tracy IbbotsonSchool of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
Bhautesh JaniGeneral Practice and Primary Care, School of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
Kate JollyDepartment of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6224-2115
Frances MairGeneral Practice and Primary Care, School of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9780-1135
James R ManifieldRespiratory Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5859-3772
Emma McIntoshHealth Economics and Health Technology Assessment (HEHTA), University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
Daniel MillerUniversity of Leicester, Leicester, UK.
Paula OrmandySchool of Health and Society, University of Salford, Salford, UK.
Susan SmithSchool of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
Ioannis VogiatzisDepartment of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
Ghazala WaheedLeicester Clinical Trials Unit, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK.
Rod TaylorSchool of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
Sally J SinghRespiratory Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK.
PERFORM research team

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveThe number of people living with multiple long-term conditions (MLTCs or 'multimorbidity') is growing. Evidence indicates that exercise-based rehabilitation can improve health-related quality of life and reduce hospital admissions for a number of single long-term conditions. However, it is increasingly recognised that such condition-focused rehabilitation programmes do not meet the needs of people living with MLTCs. The aims for this study were to (1) evaluate the acceptability and feasibility of the newly developed Personalised Exercise Rehabilitation FOR people with Multiple long-term conditions (PERFORM) intervention; (2) assess the feasibility of study methods to inform progression to a definitive randomised controlled trial (RCT) and (3) refine our intervention programme theory.

designSemi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with patients receiving and healthcare practitioners delivering the PERFORM intervention, to seek their experiences of the intervention and taking part in the study. Interviews were analysed thematically, informed by Normalisation Process Theory and the programme theory.

settingThree UK sites (two acute hospital settings, one community-based healthcare setting).

participants18 of the 60 PERFORM participants and 6 healthcare professionals were interviewed.

interventionThe intervention consisted of 8 weeks of supervised group-based exercise rehabilitation and structured self-care symptom-based support.

resultsAll participants and staff interviewed found PERFORM useful for physical and mental well-being and noted positive impacts of participation, although some specific modifications to the intervention delivery and training and study methods were identified. Scheduling, staffing and space limitations were barriers that must be considered for future evaluation and implementation. Key intervention mechanisms identified were social support, patient education, building routines and habits, as well as support from healthcare professionals.

conclusionsWe found the PERFORM intervention to be acceptable and feasible, with the potential to improve the health and well-being of people with MLTCs. The findings of the process evaluation inform the future delivery of the PERFORM intervention and the design of our planned full RCT. A definitive trial is needed to assess the clinical and cost-effectiveness. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ISRCTN68786622.

Indexed as

Exercise TherapyAdultAgedAged, 80 and overChronic DiseaseFeasibility StudiesFemaleHumansInterviews as TopicMaleMiddle AgedPrecision MedicineQualitative ResearchQuality of LifeUnited KingdomExerciseMultimorbidityREHABILITATION MEDICINESelf-Management

Identifiers

PMID40967642
PMCPMC12458778

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.