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Effect of Upper-body Rowing on Cardiometabolic Risk in Spinal Cord Injured Wheelchair Users

Not Applicable
Completed
Conditions
Spinal Cord Injuries
Exercise Training
Interventions
Other: Exercise
Registration Number
NCT04390087
Lead Sponsor
Aalborg University
Brief Summary

This randomized controlled trial will determine the effects of 12-weeks of wheelchair user-modified upper-body rowing on both traditional cardiometabolic risk factors in SCI manual wheelchair users.

Detailed Description

This randomized controlled trial aims to determine the effects of 12-weeks of wheelchair user-modified upper-body rowing on both traditional (insulin resistance, obesity, dyslipidemia (including low HDL-C and elevated TG and blood pressure) and novel (inflammatory status, autonomic nervous system function, vascular structure and function, and cardiorespiratory fitness level) cardiometabolic risk factors in SCI manual wheelchair users. As secondary objectives, this trial will investigate the effects of the exercise intervention on free-living physical activity, shoulder pain, and indices of quality of life.

Men and women, aged 18-65 years; chronic SCI (≥1 year since injury); individuals with sufficient sparing of arm function to participate in upper-body rowing; using a manual wheelchair as a primary tool for mobility will be included in the trial.

The exercise training will be conducted as wheelchair-modified upper-body ergometer rowing. The training will be performed for up to 30 min, 3 times per week with moderate-to-vigorous intensity, with at least one rest day between sessions.

Outcome measurements will be performed immediately before (baseline), after (post) 12 weeks of training, and 6 months after the termination of the intervention period (follow up). This approach allows for assessment of the short term effects of exercise training as well as any residual effects from the training intervention on cardiometabolic risk, shoulder pain, indices of quality of life, and free-living physical activity

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
18
Inclusion Criteria
  • 18-65 years;
  • chronic SCI (≥1 year since injury)
  • individuals with sufficient sparing of arm function to participate in upper-body rowing (i.e. as a minimum excluding individuals with complete SCI at or above C5)
  • using a manual wheelchair as a primary tool for mobility.
Exclusion Criteria
  • Individuals who regularly engage in >150 min/week of moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity
  • have received a cortisone injection in the shoulder within the last four months
  • have had shoulder injury within the previous year
  • known medical issues (urinary tract infections, cardiovascular contraindications for exercise testing, and pressure sores)
  • diagnosed diabetes or any endocrine, heart, kidney, liver disease or any other disease that may limit the ability to perform exercise.

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
ExerciseExerciseUpper-body rowing performed up to 30 min, 3 times per week with moderate-to-vigorous intensity
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
fasting insulinThe between group difference in change in outcome will be examined from baseline to post intervention (12-weeks follow-up) (primary endpoint) and again from 12-weeks follow-up to 6-months follow-up (secondary endpoint)

Serum fasting insulin concentration will be measured from approximately 20 mL blood drawn from a peripheral vein

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
body mass indexThe between group difference in change in outcome will be examined from baseline to post intervention (12-weeks follow-up) (primary endpoint) and again from 12-weeks follow-up to 6-months follow-up (secondary endpoint)

BMI (kg/m2)

Resistance vessel functionThe between group difference in change in outcome will be examined from baseline to post intervention (12-weeks follow-up) (primary endpoint) and again from 12-weeks follow-up to 6-months follow-up (secondary endpoint)

Reactive hyperemia (blood flow area under the curve)

HDL cholesterolThe between group difference in change in outcome will be examined from baseline to post intervention (12-weeks follow-up) (primary endpoint) and again from 12-weeks follow-up to 6-months follow-up (secondary endpoint)

Concentration (mmol/l)

Vascular structureThe between group difference in change in outcome will be examined from baseline to post intervention (12-weeks follow-up) (primary endpoint) and again from 12-weeks follow-up to 6-months follow-up (secondary endpoint)

Intima media thickness (mm)

Free-living physical activityThe between group difference in change in outcome will be examined from baseline to post intervention (12-weeks follow-up) (primary endpoint) and again from 12-weeks follow-up to 6-months follow-up (secondary endpoint)

Wrist-worn accelerometer

Arterial blood pressureThe between group difference in change in outcome will be examined from baseline to post intervention (12-weeks follow-up) (primary endpoint) and again from 12-weeks follow-up to 6-months follow-up (secondary endpoint)

Resting systolic and diastolic BP will be measured with an automated blood pressure monitoring device

Body massThe between group difference in change in outcome will be examined from baseline to post intervention (12-weeks follow-up) (primary endpoint) and again from 12-weeks follow-up to 6-months follow-up (secondary endpoint)

Body mass (kg)

Shoulder painThe between group difference in change in outcome will be examined from baseline to post intervention (12-weeks follow-up) (primary endpoint) and again from 12-weeks follow-up to 6-months follow-up (secondary endpoint)

the Wheelchair Users Shoulder Pain Index (WUSPI)). Consist of 15 items each consisting og a visual analog scales (pain from 0-10, with 10 representing maximum pain).

Heart rate variability (HRV)The between group difference in change in outcome will be examined from baseline to post intervention (12-weeks follow-up) (primary endpoint) and again from 12-weeks follow-up to 6-months follow-up (secondary endpoint)

HRV will be derived from spectral analysis of the R-R interval obtained from the ECG.

Health-related quality of life (HRQOL)The between group difference in change in outcome will be examined from baseline to post intervention (12-weeks follow-up) (primary endpoint) and again from 12-weeks follow-up to 6-months follow-up (secondary endpoint)

Short-form 36 (SF-36). 0-100, with 100 representing the best possible health.

Waist CircumferenceThe between group difference in change in outcome will be examined from baseline to post intervention (12-weeks follow-up) (primary endpoint) and again from 12-weeks follow-up to 6-months follow-up (secondary endpoint)

Measured in cm

Conduit artery functionThe between group difference in change in outcome will be examined from baseline to post intervention (12-weeks follow-up) (primary endpoint) and again from 12-weeks follow-up to 6-months follow-up (secondary endpoint)

Flow-mediated dilation (percent change from baseline)

LDL cholesterolThe between group difference in change in outcome will be examined from baseline to post intervention (12-weeks follow-up) (primary endpoint) and again from 12-weeks follow-up to 6-months follow-up (secondary endpoint)

concentration (mmol/l)

Alanin-aminotransferaseThe between group difference in change in outcome will be examined from baseline to post intervention (12-weeks follow-up) (primary endpoint) and again from 12-weeks follow-up to 6-months follow-up (secondary endpoint)

U/L

Fasting blood glucoseThe between group difference in change in outcome will be examined from baseline to post intervention (12-weeks follow-up) (primary endpoint) and again from 12-weeks follow-up to 6-months follow-up (secondary endpoint)

Venous blood sampling

Cardiorespiratory fitness levelThe between group difference in change in outcome will be examined from baseline to post intervention (12-weeks follow-up) (primary endpoint) and again from 12-weeks follow-up to 6-months follow-up (secondary endpoint)

Peak oxygen consumption

C-reactive proteinThe between group difference in change in outcome will be examined from baseline to post intervention (12-weeks follow-up) (primary endpoint) and again from 12-weeks follow-up to 6-months follow-up (secondary endpoint)

mg/l

Interleukin 6The between group difference in change in outcome will be examined from baseline to post intervention (12-weeks follow-up) (primary endpoint) and again from 12-weeks follow-up to 6-months follow-up (secondary endpoint)

Anti and pro-inflammatory cytokine

Vascular functionThe between group difference in change in outcome will be examined from baseline to post intervention (12-weeks follow-up) (primary endpoint) and again from 12-weeks follow-up to 6-months follow-up (secondary endpoint)

Blood flow (ml/min)

Long-term blood glucoseThe between group difference in change in outcome will be examined from baseline to post intervention (12-weeks follow-up) (primary endpoint) and again from 12-weeks follow-up to 6-months follow-up (secondary endpoint)

HbA1c (percent)

TriglycerideThe between group difference in change in outcome will be examined from baseline to post intervention (12-weeks follow-up) (primary endpoint) and again from 12-weeks follow-up to 6-months follow-up (secondary endpoint)

concentration (mmol/l)

Tumor necrosis factor-alphaThe between group difference in change in outcome will be examined from baseline to post intervention (12-weeks follow-up) (primary endpoint) and again from 12-weeks follow-up to 6-months follow-up (secondary endpoint)

Pro-inflammatory cytokine

Interleukin-1 receptor antagonistThe between group difference in change in outcome will be examined from baseline to post intervention (12-weeks follow-up) (primary endpoint) and again from 12-weeks follow-up to 6-months follow-up (secondary endpoint)

Anti-inflammatory cytokine

Interleukin-10The between group difference in change in outcome will be examined from baseline to post intervention (12-weeks follow-up) (primary endpoint) and again from 12-weeks follow-up to 6-months follow-up (secondary endpoint)

Antoinflammatory cytokine

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Aalborg University

🇩🇰

Aalborg, Denmark

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