Blood Flow Restriction Training for Age-Related Sarcopenia

Sichuan University

Status: Not yet enrolling

Conditions: Sarcopenia in Elderly

Treatments: Other: Conventional Resistance Training (CRT); Device: Blood Flow Restriction Training (BFRT)

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06986395

20241201

Details and patient eligibility

About

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).

Enrollment: 40 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 65 to 100 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

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

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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40 participants in 2 patient groups

BFRT Group

Experimental group

Description:

"Blood flow restriction training with 20% 1RM loading, pneumatic cuff pressure 80-100mmHg (arms)

Treatment:

Device: Blood Flow Restriction Training (BFRT)

CRT Group

Active Comparator group

Description:

Conventional resistance training at 65-75% 1RM intensity using weights/elastic bands, matched frequency/duration

Treatment:

Other: Conventional Resistance Training (CRT)