Low-load Blood Flow Restriction Training in COPD

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: COPD; Muscle Weakness
• Interventions: Other: Usual outpatient pulmonary rehabilitation; Other: Low-load blood flow restriction training

• Registration Number: NCT04151771
• Lead Sponsor: University of Zurich

Brief Summary

Peripheral muscle weakness is a predominant problem in patients with COPD and treated using exercise training in pulmonary rehabilitation. Despite pulmonary rehabilitation being an effective intervention, muscle strength impairment is a persisting problem in COPD patients. Patients have problems to tolerate the high training loads, which are necessary to develop strength. Low-load blood flow restriction training (LL-BFRT) might therefore be an option to enhance muscular response of patients with COPD to strength training. Up to now, no studies investigating LL-BFRT in respiratory diseases are available.

The primary outcome of this randomized pilot study is knee extensor muscle strength. Secondary, the study will evaluate if LL-BFRT is well tolerated and feasible in COPD patients attending outpatient pulmonary rehabilitation.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2019-10-31
• Study First Submitted QC: 2019-11-04
• Study First Posted: 2019-11-05
• Study Start: 2019-12-27
• Primary Completion: 2023-01-28
• Study Completion: 2023-01-28
• Status Verified: 2023-04
• Last Update Submitted: 2023-04-11
• Last Update Posted: 2023-04-12

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 30

Inclusion Criteria

• Diagnosed COPD according to GOLD-guidelines
• Assigned to outpatient pulmonary rehabilitation by the treating physician

Exclusion Criteria

• Physical or intellectual impairment precluding informed consent or protocol adherence
• Non-German speaking (precluding informed consent)
• Acute or recent (within the last 6 weeks) exacerbation of COPD
• Attending a pulmonary rehabilitation program within the last 3 months
• Pregnant patients
• History of thromboembolic event in the lower extremity
• Diagnosis of polyneuropathy
• Resting systolic blood pressure <100 mmHg

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Usual pulmonary rehabilitation group	Usual outpatient pulmonary rehabilitation	Participants randomised into control group are attending usual pulmonary rehabilitation as established.
LL-BFRT group	Low-load blood flow restriction training	Participants randomised into intervention group are attending pulmonary rehabilitation in which strengthening exercises of the lower limb are performed using LL-BFRT.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Knee extensor strength	during 12 weeks (24 exercise sessions)	Between-group difference in total change in isometric muscle strength of the knee extensor muscles, measured by handheld dynamometry in newtonmeter

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

University Hospital Zurich; 🇨🇭 Zurich, Switzerland