Trial results were posted on ClinicalTrials.gov on 2025-11-20 for a study investigating weight reduction in patients with Obesity and ventral hernia. The study found that both a virtual coach and standard weight loss tools led to a mean weight loss of 24.25 pounds.
Background
Obesity is a significant health concern that can complicate surgical procedures, particularly for patients undergoing ventral hernia repair. Preoperative weight reduction is often recommended to improve surgical outcomes and reduce the risk of complications, such as unplanned hospital readmissions. Traditional weight loss methods can be challenging for patients to adhere to, prompting interest in novel interventions like virtual coaching. A MyChart-enabled virtual coach aims to provide accessible support for patients to achieve necessary weight loss goals before surgery.
Trial design
This completed study, with an overall status of COMPLETED, enrolled 32 participants. The trial focused on patients with Obesity and Ventral Hernia. The primary objective was to determine if a virtual coach could be more effective in preoperative weight reduction compared to usual care. The study was not assigned a specific phase (NA). Due to the nature of the research, randomization was not possible, so the study team implemented propensity score matching to assign individuals to different study arms. The intervention involved a MyChart-enabled virtual coach, which was compared against standard weight loss tools.
Key results
The trial results provided several key measurements related to weight change, patient interactions, and quality of life:
- Pounds of Weight Change Per Group:
- For the Virtual Coach group, the mean weight change was 24.25 lbs, with a Standard Deviation of 9.95.
- For the Standard Weight Loss Tools group, the mean weight change was also 24.25 lbs, with a Standard Deviation of 9.95.
- Number of Interactions (Virtual Coach): The mean number of interactions was 9, with a Full Range reported.
- Degree of Quality of Life:
- For the Virtual Coach group, the mean score on a scale was 46.19, with a Standard Deviation of 18.11.
- For the Standard Weight Loss Tools group, the mean score on a scale was also 46.19, with a Standard Deviation of 18.11.
- Degree of Satisfaction With the Virtual Coach: For the Virtual Coach group, the score on a scale was 3.
What this means
The posted results indicate that a virtual coach intervention achieved similar weight loss outcomes compared to standard weight loss tools in obese patients preparing for ventral hernia surgery. Both groups experienced a mean weight reduction of 24.25 pounds. This suggests that while the virtual coach did not demonstrate superior efficacy in terms of weight loss in this study, it could serve as an alternative or complementary tool for preoperative weight management. The data also provided insights into patient engagement with the virtual coach, noting a mean of 9 interactions. Quality of life scores were comparable between both groups, suggesting that neither intervention had a distinctly different impact on this aspect. The reported satisfaction score for the virtual coach provides initial feedback on the patient experience with this digital health tool.
Source
The information regarding these trial results was obtained from ClinicalTrials.gov, a public database of clinical studies. The results for the study NCT05797974, titled "Does a Virtual Coach Offer a Better Solution for Weight Reduction in Ventral Hernia Patients With Obesity?", were posted on 2025-11-20 on clinicaltrials.gov.