The use of the internet to deliver cardiac rehabilitation remotely to patients with cardiovascular disease

Randomization was stratified by site using variable block sizes of 2, 4 and 6. The random allocation was computer-generated by a statistician unassociated with the trial, and access to the list for the duration of the study was restricted to the operations manager. [...] Apart from the study follow-up assessments, there was no contact between the study personnel and the usual care participants for the duration of the study, nor was there any attempt to control for the level of patient care. [...] The vCRP staff had experience in CRP and formal training in the principles of the Transtheoretical Model of Change and the Social Cognitive Theory. [...] The vCRP staff entered results of the patient’s baseline fasting lipids and blood sugar, and the exercise stress test into the vCRP, respectively, during the first week. [...] The baseline values of the primary outcome of maximal time on the treadmill and the secondary outcomes were clinically similar between the groups (Table 3).