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NCT Number: NCT06986395

Blood Flow Restriction Training for Age-Related Sarcopenia

Brief Title: Safe Exercise for Age-Related Muscle Loss in Hospitalized Seniors

Summary:

This study compares two exercise methods to help older hospital patients (age 65+) rebuild muscle strength after being diagnosed with sarcopenia (age-related muscle loss). We want to know if using special pressure cuffs during light exercise works better than traditional strength training alone.

Who Can Join:

Hospitalized seniors with stable health conditions Excludes those with severe disabilities, dementia, or certain blood circulation problems

What We'll Do:

40 participants will be randomly assigned to either:

Traditional Training Group:

Uses weights/bands at 65-75% max capacity Arm/leg exercises 3x/week for 4 weeks

Pressure Cuff Training Group:

Uses special cuffs on arms/thighs during lighter exercises (20% max capacity) Same exercise frequency with controlled pressure for safety

What We'll Measure:

Handgrip strength (main test at 0/4/12 weeks) Walking speed, balance tests, quality of life surveys Any side effects like dizziness/nausea

Safety First:

Doctors will check your health before starting. Nurses will monitor every session. We use medical-grade cuffs with safe pressure limits (arm: 80-100mmHg, thigh: 150-200mmHg). You can stop anytime if uncomfortable.

Why This Matters:

This could help hospitalized seniors regain strength faster using gentler exercises. All activities are supervised by rehabilitation specialists at West China Hospital, with ethics committee approval (IRB number required).

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Key information

Conditions

Sarcopenia in Elderly

Age range

65 year–100 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Hospitalized patients aged ≥65 years
  • Diagnosed with sarcopenia per EWGSOP2019 criteria
  • Acute medical conditions stabilized for ≥4 weeks (e.g., resolved infections, controlled heart failure)

Exclusion criteria

  • Severe disability (Barthel Index ≤40)
  • Significant cognitive impairment (MMSE ≤18) or major psychiatric disorders (DSM-5 criteria)
  • Contraindications to blood flow restriction training:
  • History/predisposition to deep vein thrombosis
  • Coagulopathy (INR >1.5, platelets <100×10⁹/L)
  • Symptomatic varicose veins (CEAP class C4-C6)
  • Uncontrolled hypertension (BP >160/100 mmHg)
  • Chronic lymphedema (ISL stage II-III)
  • Peripheral artery disease (ABI ≤0.7)
  • Active systemic infection (CRP >10 mg/L)
  • Malignancy (except non-melanoma skin cancer)
  • Severe renal impairment (eGFR <30 mL/min/1.73m²)
  • Acute coronary syndrome within 3 months

Treatment and study plan

Blood Flow Restriction Training (BFRT)

Device

Standard progressive resistance exercise at 65-75% 1RM intensity using weights/elastic bands

Conventional Resistance Training (CRT)

Other

Standard progressive resistance exercise at 65-75% 1RM intensity using weights/elastic bands

Primary outcomes

  1. Change in Handgrip Strength

    Time frame: Baseline (Week 0), Post-intervention (Week 4), Follow-up (Week 12)

Secondary outcomes

  1. 6-Meter Walking Speed

    Time frame: Baseline (Week 0), Follow-up (Week 12)

  2. Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB)

    Time frame: Baseline (Week 0), Post-intervention (Week 4), Follow-up (Week 12)

  3. Timed Up and Go Test (TUG)

    Time frame: Baseline (Week 0), Post-intervention (Week 4), Follow-up (Week 12)

  4. MBI

    Time frame: Baseline (Week 0), Post-intervention (Week 4), Follow-up (Week 12)

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

yu liang

CONTACT

[email protected]

+86 13982250862

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

West China Hospital

Other

Registry information

Official study title

The Efficacy of Blood Flow Restriction Training in Elderly Patients With Sarcopenia.

Important dates

Study start
2025
Primary completion
2025
Study completion
2025
First posted
May 23, 2025
Registry last updated
May 23, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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