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The Protective Potential of Exercise Training on the Cardiopulmonary Morbidity After COVID-19

Not Applicable
Completed
Conditions
COVID-19, SARS-CoV2
Interventions
Behavioral: Standard care
Behavioral: High intensity interval training
Registration Number
NCT04647734
Lead Sponsor
Rigshospitalet, Denmark
Brief Summary

40 COVID-19 survivors that have been discharged from the hospital will be included in this investigator-blinded randomised study with a 12-week exercise intervention. Patients will be 1:1 block-randomised by sex to either a supervised high intensity interval-based exercise group or standard care (control group).

Detailed Description

40 patients will be recruited and undergo baseline testing, including examination, biochemistry, ECG, DXA, OGTT, Pulmonary function, VO2max, RM, plasma volume, AX3, CGM, echocardiography, cardiac MRI.

After baseline testing, participants will be randomly allocated into one group receiving standard of care (control group) or a group performing supervised high-intensity interval training three times a week over a period of 12 weeks. The randomization procedure involves a computer-generated block randomization schedule in a ratio of 1:1 stratified by sex by an independent person. Following the 12-week intervention period, both groups will complete a series of follow-up tests (as baseline testing). A 1-year follow-up experimental day is also planned in order to evaluate fitness, cardiac and pulmonary structure and function.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
28
Inclusion Criteria
  • Age ≥ 40 years
  • A laboratory-confirmed initial positive test followed by one negative tests of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) ≤ 6 months after hospital discharge
  • ≤10 L oxygen requirement during hospitalization
Exclusion Criteria
  • Present atrial fibrillation
  • Diagnosed with acute myocarditis
  • Health conditions that prevent participating in the exercise intervention
  • Patients who cannot undergo MR scans (e.g. kidney disease or metallic implants)
  • Treatment with IL-6 receptor antagonists (tocilizumab, kevzara) within the last month due to drug interference with the cardiopulmonary exercise adaptations.

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Control groupStandard careThis group will be allocated to standard care and therefore no supervised exercise regimen.
High intensity interval trainingHigh intensity interval trainingThe experimental group will on top of standard care undergo a 12 weeks supervised exercise high intensity interval exercise training on an ergometer bike three times a week for 38 minutes. The specific intervals will be determined from our ongoing pilot study (NCT04549337)
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Change in right ventricular volumeThrough study completion, an average of 12 months

measured by MRI scan

Change in left ventricular massThrough study completion, an average of 12 months

measured by MRI scan

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
LVID (left ventricular internal dimensions)Through study completion, an average of 12 months

Structural cardiac parameter: measured by MRI scan and echocardiography

Global longitudinal strainThrough study completion, an average of 12 months

Functional cardiac parameters: measured by MRI scan and echocardiography

LVEFThrough study completion, an average of 12 months

Functional cardiac parameters: measured by MRI scan and echocardiography

RVEFThrough study completion, an average of 12 months

Functional cardiac parameters: measured by MRI scan and echocardiography

Septal e´Through study completion, an average of 12 months

Functional cardiac parameters: measured by MRI scan and echocardiography

E/e´ septalThrough study completion, an average of 12 months

Functional cardiac parameters: measured by MRI scan and echocardiography

Body composition analysis measured with DXAThrough study completion, an average of 12 months

easuring Lean mass, Fat mass and BMD

Blood samples analysed for markers related to cardiometabolic biomarkers.Through study completion, an average of 12 months

Including total troponins, D-dimer, creatinine kinase, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, triglycerides, glycated haemoglobin, fasting insulin, fasting plasma glucose, pro-brain natriuretic peptide, haematology, electrolytes and liver and renal status.

Following an overnight fast (10 hours), blood samples, are collected and processed by a trained laboratory technician and analysed according to standard procedures. Plasma is stored at - 80 °C prior to analysis.

E/A ratioThrough study completion, an average of 12 months

Functional cardiac parameters: measured by MRI scan and echocardiography

Peak A velocityThrough study completion, an average of 12 months

Functional cardiac parameters: measured by MRI scan and echocardiography

Lateral e´Through study completion, an average of 12 months

Functional cardiac parameters: measured by MRI scan and echocardiography

Extracellular volumeThrough study completion, an average of 12 months

measured with gadolinium and MRI scan

Blood and plasma volumeThrough study completion, an average of 12 months

changes

PWT (posterior wall thickness)Through study completion, an average of 12 months

Structural cardiac parameter: measured by MRI scan and echocardiography

Through study completion, an average of 12 months

Functional cardiac parameters: measured by MRI scan and echocardiography

Change in maximal tricuspid regurgitation velocity and pressure gradientThrough study completion, an average of 12 months

Functional cardiac parameters: measured by MRI scan and echocardiography

RV s´Through study completion, an average of 12 months

Functional cardiac parameters: measured by MRI scan and echocardiography

Cardiorespiratory fitnessThrough study completion, an average of 12 months

Measured with an incremental VO2 protocol on exercise bike

Dynamic spirometriThrough study completion, an average of 12 months

Pulmonary function testing

Whole body plethymographyThrough study completion, an average of 12 months

Pulmonary function testing

Continuous glucose monitoring3 days at baseline and same after intervention

Three days of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) is performed using enzyme-coated electrodes (iPro MMT- 7745WW; Medtronic, Northridge, CA, USA) placed subcutaneously in the abdominal wall. For calibration of the CGM system, finger-prick blood glucose measurements are performed by the participant four times daily.

Axial accelerometer-based physical activity monitors4 days at baseline and same after intervention

Free-living physical activity is measured using axial accelerometer-based physical activity monitors (AX3; Axivity, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK) for a 4-day period

SF-36, King´s Brief Interstitial Lung Disease Questionnaire, Post-COVID-19 Functional StatusThrough study completion, an average of 12 months

Questionnaires on quality of life will be filled in on baseline and after the intervention

King´s Brief Interstitial Lung Disease QuestionnaireThrough study completion, an average of 12 months

Questionnaires on quality of life will be filled in on baseline and after the intervention

RV volumesThrough study completion, an average of 12 months

Functional cardiac parameters: measured by MRI scan and echocardiography

TAPSEThrough study completion, an average of 12 months

Functional cardiac parameters: measured by MRI scan and echocardiography

Peak E velocityThrough study completion, an average of 12 months

Functional cardiac parameters: measured by MRI scan and echocardiography

Cardiac inflammationThrough study completion, an average of 12 months

measured with gadolinium and MRI scan

Vascular dysfunctionThrough study completion, an average of 12 months

measured with gadolinium and MRI scan

Diffusion capacityThrough study completion, an average of 12 months

Pulmonary function testing

Oral glucose tolerance test2 hours at baseline and same after intervention

75g of glucose taken while fasting

Blood samples analysed for markers related to low grade inflammationThrough study completion, an average of 12 months

Including high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, tumour necrosis factor-α, IL-1RA, interferon-γ and interleukins (IL-6, IL-10 and others)

Following an overnight fast (10 hours), blood samples, are collected and processed by a trained laboratory technician and analysed according to standard procedures. Plasma is stored at - 80 °C prior to analysis.

Post-COVID-19 Functional StatusThrough study completion, an average of 12 months

Questionnaires on quality of life will be filled in on baseline and after the intervention

Stroke volumeThrough study completion, an average of 12 months

Structural cardiac parameter: measured by MRI scan and echocardiography

end-diastolic volumeThrough study completion, an average of 12 months

Structural cardiac parameter: measured by MRI scan and echocardiography

IVS thickness (intact ventricular septum)Through study completion, an average of 12 months

Structural cardiac parameter: measured by MRI scan and echocardiography

LAVI (left atrial volume index)Through study completion, an average of 12 months

Structural cardiac parameter: measured by MRI scan and echocardiography

E/e´ lateralThrough study completion, an average of 12 months

Functional cardiac parameters: measured by MRI scan and echocardiography

Diffuse fibrotic changesThrough study completion, an average of 12 months

measured with gadolinium and MRI scan

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Rigshospitalet

🇩🇰

Copenhagen, Denmark

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