MedPath

Effects of AMPS on Cardiovascular Variables in Patients With Parkinson's Disease

Not Applicable
Completed
Conditions
Parkinson Disease
Interventions
Device: Automated mechanical peripheral stimulation
Other: Physical Exercise
Device: SHAM
Registration Number
NCT04251728
Lead Sponsor
Universidad Católica del Maule
Brief Summary

This study evaluates the addition of automated mechanical peripheral stimulation (AMPS) to physical exercise in the treatment of cardiovascular and motor disabilities in Parkinson's patients. Half of participants will receive AMPS and exercise, while the other half will receive a simulated session (SHAM) and exercise.

Detailed Description

Cardiovascular abnormalities are frequent in Parkinson's disease (PD) even in the early stages. As consequence, patients may experience orthostatic hypotension and/or arterial hypertension in the supine posture, especially at night. Thus, the management of dysautonomia in patients with PD is challenging.

Automated mechanical peripheral stimulation (AMPS) has been recently proposed as therapy for motor and cardiovascular improvements in patients with PD. On the other hand, physical exercise has been recommended for patients with PD showing to be effective in improving physical conditioning and cognitive function.

However, the combined effects of AMPS and exercise on cardiovascular variables and functional capacity of patients with PD are still unknown.

Therefore, volunteers will be randomly allocated into two groups: 1) exercise group: will be submitted to a program of 24 exercise sessions, along with 2 weekly sessions of SHAM AMPS for 12 weeks. 2) AMPS groups: will be submitted to the program of 24 exercise sessions, along with 2 weekly sessions of AMPS during the same period.

AMPS sessions will be held prior to exercise sessions. Before and after the 12-week program, all volunteers will be submitted to assessments of cardiac autonomic control, timed up and go, and cardiopulmonary exercise testing to assess aerobic functional capacity.

The hypothesis is that the exercise program combined with AMPS therapy will provide greater improvement on the cardiovascular function and aerobic functional capacity in patients with PD, than the exercise program alone.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
40
Inclusion Criteria
  • Clinical diagnosis of idiopathic Parkinson's disease
  • Scoring 1 to 3 on the Hoehn and Yhar scale
  • Pharmacological treatment unchanged for at least 30 days prior the study
Exclusion Criteria
  • Signs of cognitive decline, based on the results of the Mini Mental State Examination
  • Cardiorespiratory, neuromuscular and musculoskeletal diseases not related to PD
  • Sensory peripheral neuropathy, diabetes or any other disease known to promote autonomic dysfunction
  • Changes in pharmacological treatment after inclusion in the study

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Exercise plus AMPS group (AMPS-G)Physical ExercisePhysical exercise and automated mechanical peripheral stimulation (AMPS) with intensity at the pain threshold, performed two times a week for 12 weeks.
Exercise plus SHAM group (Exercise-G)Physical ExercisePhysical exercise and simulated automated mechanical peripheral stimulation (AMPS) with intensity at the sensory threshold performed two times a week for 12 weeks.
Exercise plus SHAM group (Exercise-G)SHAMPhysical exercise and simulated automated mechanical peripheral stimulation (AMPS) with intensity at the sensory threshold performed two times a week for 12 weeks.
Exercise plus AMPS group (AMPS-G)Automated mechanical peripheral stimulationPhysical exercise and automated mechanical peripheral stimulation (AMPS) with intensity at the pain threshold, performed two times a week for 12 weeks.
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Timed up and go12 weeks

Time spent for the participant to rise from a standard chair without armrests, walk 3 meters straight at their preferred speed, turn, walk back to the chair and sit down again. Participants will perform the test twice and the lowest total duration will be considered as the outcome

Heart rate variability12 weeks

Quantification of heart rate oscillation to assess the cardiac autonomic control. This is quantified by time-domain, spectral and non-linear analysis.

Peak oxygen uptake12 weeks

An incremental ramp-type protocol exercise will be used to determine the participant's aerobic capacity. Oxygen uptake will be obtained on a breath-to-breath basis during the entire exercise using an expired gas measurement system.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Sleep quality12 weeks

Sleep quality will be assessed using an actigraph monitor by quantifying the sleep onset, sleep latency, sleep duration, sleep efficiency and sleep disturbances.

Oxygen uptake at the ventilatory anaerobic threshold12 weeks

The ventilatory anaerobic threshold will be determined from the recording of oxygen uptake and carbon dioxide production measurement during an incremental ramp-type protocol exercise using an expired gas measurement system.

24-h blood pressure12 weeks

Evaluation of systolic and diastolic blood pressure during 24 hours will be recorded using an ambulatory blood pressure holter.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Universidad Católica del Maule

🇨🇱

Talca, Maule, Chile

© Copyright 2025. All Rights Reserved by MedPath