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High Intensity Interval Training for People With Stroke Deficits

Not Applicable
Active, not recruiting
Conditions
Stroke
Interventions
Behavioral: High Intensity Interval Training
Behavioral: Moderate Intensity Continuous Exercise
Registration Number
NCT03006731
Lead Sponsor
University Health Network, Toronto
Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to compare the effects of an exercise training strategy called high-intensity interval training (HIIT) to moderate intensity continuous exercise (MICE), on walking function and cardiovascular fitness in stroke patients. Hypothesis: HIIT will result in significantly greater benefit to fitness and mobility than MICE.

Detailed Description

Using a randomized design, the study will evaluate the effects of 3 HIT sessions combined with 2 MICE sessions per week on cardiovascular fitness and mobility compared to MICE training 5 days/week. Participants post-stroke will be randomly assigned to either MICE (5 days per week (d∙wk-1)) or combined HIIT (3 d∙wk-1) with MICE (2 d∙wk-1). Both groups will be exercising 5 times per week (walking on a treadmill with harness for fall protection); 3 times at the centre and 2 times at home. Outcome measures will be conducted before and after 24 weeks of training.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
47
Inclusion Criteria
  • clinical diagnosis of stroke (hemorrhagic or ischemic),
  • ability to walk at least 100 m independently with or without an assistive device with no severe limitations due to pain,
  • living in the community at least 10 weeks post stroke (no upper limit) with a stroke-related motor impairment score of <7 on the Chedoke-McMaster Stroke Assessment scale of the leg or foot or with hemiparetic gait pattern,
  • no severe communicative aphasia or comprehensive aphasia as noted in in clinical reports or referral form
  • no orthopedic issues that may be aggravated by HIT
  • ability to provide informed consent
Exclusion Criteria
  • severe uncontrolled hypertension or orthostatic blood pressure decrease of >20 mmHg
  • other cardiovascular morbidities which would limit exercise tolerance (e.g. horizontal or downsloping ST-segment depression >2 mm, symptomatic aortic stenosis, complex arrhythmias),
  • unstable angina,
  • severe proliferative retinopathy or uncontrolled blood glucose,
  • hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
  • lower extremity claudication
  • cognitive and/or behavioral issues limiting participation in exercise testing and training, prior unrelated neurological disorders or psychiatric illness
  • abdominal or inguinal hernia causing discomfort with routine activities.

Other issues will be considered case-by-case.

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
High Intensity TrainingHigh Intensity Interval TrainingHigh Intensity Interval Training patients will attend the centre 3 times/week for 24 weeks. All subjects will participate in MICE aerobic training 5 days/week in the first four weeks of the study to provide a foundation of fitness and endurance for the safe prescription of HIIT. Subsequently, the HIIT group will replace 3 MICE training days with 3 HIIT. HIIT sessions will include two 20 minute protocols; 30:60 second work:active rest ratio, and 120:180 second work:active rest ratio on a treadmill with a harness for fall protection. In addition to supervised exercise training (3 times/week), MICE will be conducted 2 times/week in the home/community, which has been shown to be both safe and effective
Moderate Intensity ExerciseModerate Intensity Continuous ExerciseModerate Intensity Continuous Exercise patients will attend the centre 3 times/week for 24 weeks. Participants will be progressed to 30 to 60 minutes of continuous exercise at the heart rate that occurred at the anaerobic threshold on the exercise test. Participants will exercise on a treadmill with a harness ofr fall protection. In addition to supervised exercise training (3 times/week), MICE will be conducted 2 times/week in the home/community by both cohorts.
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Change in Six Minute Walk Test0, 24 weeks

This test measures the distance that an individual can quickly walk in a period of 6 minutes on a flat surface. Participants will complete one trial with the gait aide prescribed to them. The distance will be recorded. Participants can stop and rest or discontinue to the test at any time.

Change in Cardiovascular fitness - Peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak)0, 24 weeks

A symptom-limited exercise test will be performed on a treadmill with a harness for fall protection using a ramp protocol. Breath-by-breath gas samples will be collected via calibrated metabolic cart to determine peak oxygen uptake.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
VO2 during HIT and MICE9 weeks and 24 weeks

To determine the ability of patients to reach critical intensity thresholds during HIT training and MICE and to examine dose-response associations, the acute effects (time spent above the critical intensity levels) will be measured using an ambulatory oxygen monitor. Ventilatory values will be measured using the CORTEX Biophysik MetaMax®3X portable gas analyzer recorded every 10 seconds for calculation of the time spent above the critical levels.

Change in Dual task gait velocity0, 24 weeks

This assessment will include four 10 metre walking tasks at maximal comfortable speed. Three minutes after the first two 10 metre trials, participants will be asked to repeat the walk with simultaneous serial 3 subtractions and then naming as many words as possible that begin with a certain letter of the alphabet \[FAS\]. The number of errors and time to complete the tasks will be recorded.

Adherence0 to 24 weeks

Attendance and completion of home-based sessions measured via exercise diary

Adverse Events0 to 24 weeks

Any adverse event or near miss is required to be reported as standard of care at Toronto Rehab/UHN.

Neuropsychological Test Battery (change over time)0, 24 weeks

Two executive function measures to measure selective attention and executive inhibition processes as well as a measure to assess speed of processing will be used. We will also include Trails A and B, DKEFS verbal fluency, the Weschsler digit symbol coding assessment.

Patient satisfaction24 weeks

questionnaire

Change in Brain Blood Flow response to exercise9 weeks and 24 weeks

Transcarnial Doppler ultrasound of the MCA and simultaneous finger cuff blood pressure monitoring during exercise

Muscle Oxygenation0, 8 weeks, 12 weeks, 24 weeks

Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) measurement of the vastus lateralis during rest and exercise.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Toronto Rehabilitation Institute - Rumsey Centre

🇨🇦

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

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