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Impact of Exercise Training on Exercise Capacity in Patients With Severe Chronic Heart Failure

U

University of Leipzig

Status and phase

Completed
Phase 2

Conditions

Heart Failure

Treatments

Behavioral: Aerobic endurance exercise training (ergometer)

Study type

Interventional

Funder types

Other

Identifiers

Details and patient eligibility

About

Patients with heart failure are limited in their exercise capacity due to skeletal muscle alteration and an impairment of peripheral perfusion. Regular physical exercise training has been shown to partially correct these peripheral maladaptations in patients with stable heart failure, which was associated with an improvement in exercise capacity. However, it is unknown so far, whether regular physical activity also exerts beneficial effects in patients with severe chronic heart failure.

Aim of the trial is therefore to assess the effects of aerobic exercise training on exercise capacity, muscle maladaptations and peripheral perfusion in patients with severe chronic heart failure according to NYHA class III b.

Full description

A total of 36 patients with severe chronic heart failure are prospectively randomized to either 3 months of aerobic ergometer training or a sedentary control group.

Before and after the intervention period maximal exercise capacity is assessed by ergospirometry, endothelial function is determined by high-resolution A-mode ultrasound, and muscle mass is determined by CT. Skeletal muscle biopsies are obtained at begin and after 3 months and are analyzed for markers of muscle catabolism/anabolism.

Sex

Male

Ages

18 to 75 years old

Volunteers

No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

  • chronic heart failure (NYHA class III b)
  • peak oxygen uptake <20 mL/min/kg body weight
  • left ventricular ejection fraction <25 %
  • left ventricular end-diastolic diameter >60 mm

Exclusion criteria

  • exercise-induced myocardial ischemia
  • cardiac decompensation within the last 8 weeks
  • ventricular arrhythmias (>Lown 4b) in patients not protected by an ICD
  • insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus
  • uncontrolled arterial hypertension
  • orthopedic conditions excluding training participation
  • body mass index >30 kg/m2

Trial contacts and locations

1

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Data sourced from clinicaltrials.gov

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