TY - JOUR

T1 - Protective potential of high-intensity interval training on cardiac structure and function after COVID-19

T2 - protocol and statistical analysis plan for an investigator-blinded randomised controlled trial

AU - Rasmussen, Iben Elmerdahl

AU - Foged, Frederik

AU - Budde, Josephine Bjorn

AU - Rasmussen, Rasmus Syberg

AU - Rasmussen, Villads

AU - Lyngbaek, Mark

AU - Jonck, Simon

AU - Krogh-Madsen, Rikke

AU - Lindegaard, Birgitte

AU - Ried-Larsen, Mathias

AU - Jorgensen, Peter Godsk

AU - Lund, Morten Asp Vonsild

AU - Kober, Lars

AU - Vejlstrup, Niels

AU - Pedersen, Bente Klarlund

AU - Berg, Ronan M. G.

AU - Christensen, Regitse Hojgaard

PY - 2021

Y1 - 2021

N2 - Introduction COVID-19 is associated with a marked systemic inflammatory response with concomitant cardiac injury and remodelling, but it is currently unknown whether the latter is reversible. Given that high-intensity interval training (HIIT) is a powerful stimulus to improve cardiorespiratory fitness while also eliciting marked anti-inflammatory effects, it may be an important countermeasure of reducing cardiopulmonary morbidity following COVID-19.Methods and analysis 40 COVID-19 survivors who have been discharged from hospital will be included in this investigator-blinded randomised study with a 12-week HIIT intervention. Patients will be 1:1 block-randomised by sex to either a supervised HIIT exercise group or standard care (control group). The main hypothesis is that a 12-week HIIT scheme is a safe way to improve loss of cardiac mass and associated cardiorespiratory fitness, despite hypothesised limited HIIT-induced changes in conventional lung function indices per se. Ultimately, we hypothesise that the HIIT scheme will reduce post-COVID-19 symptoms and improve quality of life.Ethics and dissemination This study is approved by the Scientific Ethical Committee at the Capital Region of Denmark (H-20033733, including amendments 75068 and 75799) and registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04647734, pre-results). The findings will be published in a peer-reviewed journal, including cases of positive, negative and inconclusive results.

AB - Introduction COVID-19 is associated with a marked systemic inflammatory response with concomitant cardiac injury and remodelling, but it is currently unknown whether the latter is reversible. Given that high-intensity interval training (HIIT) is a powerful stimulus to improve cardiorespiratory fitness while also eliciting marked anti-inflammatory effects, it may be an important countermeasure of reducing cardiopulmonary morbidity following COVID-19.Methods and analysis 40 COVID-19 survivors who have been discharged from hospital will be included in this investigator-blinded randomised study with a 12-week HIIT intervention. Patients will be 1:1 block-randomised by sex to either a supervised HIIT exercise group or standard care (control group). The main hypothesis is that a 12-week HIIT scheme is a safe way to improve loss of cardiac mass and associated cardiorespiratory fitness, despite hypothesised limited HIIT-induced changes in conventional lung function indices per se. Ultimately, we hypothesise that the HIIT scheme will reduce post-COVID-19 symptoms and improve quality of life.Ethics and dissemination This study is approved by the Scientific Ethical Committee at the Capital Region of Denmark (H-20033733, including amendments 75068 and 75799) and registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04647734, pre-results). The findings will be published in a peer-reviewed journal, including cases of positive, negative and inconclusive results.

KW - ACUTE RESPIRATORY SYNDROME

KW - EUROPEAN ASSOCIATION

KW - AMERICAN SOCIETY

KW - BED REST

KW - STANDARDIZATION

KW - ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY

KW - RECOMMENDATIONS

KW - FITNESS

KW - UPDATE

U2 - 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-048281

DO - 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-048281

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 34794987

VL - 11

JO - BMJ Open

JF - BMJ Open

SN - 2044-6055

IS - 11

M1 - 048281

ER -