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Effect of High-intensity Interval Training on the Lung in Patients With COPD Referred for Lung Volume Reduction Surgery: The PREGENERATE Trial
Sponsor: Rigshospitalet, Denmark
Summary
Patients with chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD) suffer from a progressive loss of lung function that leads to poor quality of life, and often invalidity and early death. Regular exercise can improve quality of life in these patients, but there is a lack in understanding the underlying mechanism of exercise-induced improvement in COPD and it is widely thought not to have any effect on the lung as such. In the present study, the investigators aim to investigate the impact of an extensive high-intensity interval training (HIIT)-based exercise scheme on the regenerative capacity of the lung in patients with COPD on waiting list for lung volume reduction surgery. Design: Prospective randomized controlled clinical trial. Intervention: 24 persons with COPD referred for lung volume reduction surgery will randomly be allocated (1:1) to prehabilitation with high intensity interval training (HIIT) or non-exercise control. Outcomes: The primary outcome is differences in change in differential protein composition in distal lung tissue between HIIT and control groups post-intervention using spatial multimodal proteomics. Furthermore, lung tissue mass, protein composition (mass spectrometry and spatial omics e.g. MACSima), pulmonary blood volume, blood protein profile (biomarkers), diffusion capacity at rest and during exercise, oxygen consumption tests, body composition scan, distal airspace radii and physical functional tests will be measured before and after the intervention. Perspective: This study may fundamentally change the view on the regenerative potential of the lungs in COPD.
Key Details
Gender
All
Age Range
Any - Any
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment
24
Start Date
2026-04
Completion Date
2029-12
Last Updated
2026-04-02
Healthy Volunteers
No
Interventions
High Intensity interval training (HIIT)
The HIIT intervention consist of 4 intervals with each lasting 4 minutes (4x4min). If a participant reports discomfort related to the length of the intervals or start to feel unmotivated by performing the same exercise, we will use another HIIT protocol: 10x1min. The 4x4min HIIT consists of a warm-up period of 10 minutes with a target heart rate at 60-70% of HRmax, followed by 4 HIIT intervals with a target HR ≥85%. The intervals are separated by three minutes of active rest, in which the HR should drop to 60% of maximum. Following this, a cool down period of three minutes at warm up intensity is performed. The 10x1min HIIT consists of a 10-minute warm-up period.The warm-up is followed by 10 intervals, each lasting 1 min at 100% of maximal workload, separated by three minutes of active rest, in which the HR should drop to 60% of maximum. Following the intervals, a cool down period of three minutes at warm up intensity is performed.
Locations (1)
Centre for Physical Activity Research, Copenhagen University Hospital
Copenhagen, Denmark