Skip to main content
OpenTrials
Completed

NCT Number: NCT04151771

Low-load Blood Flow Restriction Training in COPD

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.

Completed

Looking for future studies?

Notify Me

Key information

Conditions

COPD Chronic Disease Disease Attributes Lung Diseases Lung Diseases, Obstructive Muscle Weakness Muscular Diseases Musculoskeletal Diseases Nervous System Diseases Neurologic Manifestations Neuromuscular Manifestations Pathologic Processes Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive Respiratory Tract Diseases Signs and Symptoms

Age range

40 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

University Hospital Zurich

Zurich, 8091, Switzerland

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

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

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

Treatment and study plan

Low-load blood flow restriction training

Other

The intervention group will perform the exercises of the lower limbs using LL-BFRT with an occlusion pressure of 70% of arterial occlusion pressure with low training loads (30% of the 1 repetition maximum).

Other names: LL-BFRT

Usual outpatient pulmonary rehabilitation

Other

The control group will perform outpatient pulmonary rehabilitation as established.

Primary outcomes

  1. Knee extensor strength

    Time frame: 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

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Zurich

Other

Registry information

Acronym: LL-BFRT COPD

Important dates

Study start
2019
Primary completion
2023
Study completion
2023
First posted
Nov 5, 2019
Registry last updated
Apr 12, 2023

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.

Related clinical trials

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.