Clinical Research Directory
Browse clinical research sites, groups, and studies.
Acute Muscular and Vascular Responses to a Single Session of Exercise With BFR in COPD
Sponsor: University Hospital, Grenoble
Summary
Exercise training is a cornerstone of pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, some patients derive limited benefits from conventional exercise programs. Previous studies suggest that the magnitude of exercise-induced muscle fatigue is associated with training effectiveness, with patients unable to develop significant muscle fatigue ("non-fatiguers") showing smaller improvements in functional capacity and quality of life. Blood flow restriction (BFR) exercise consists in performing physical exercise while applying external pressure to the proximal part of the exercising limb, thereby reducing oxygen delivery to the muscles and limiting metabolite clearance. This approach has been shown to induce significant muscular adaptations despite the use of low exercise intensities. Because exercise intensity in COPD patients is often constrained by ventilatory limitations, BFR training may enhance muscle adaptations while reducing respiratory stress, potentially improving the effectiveness of PR. The primary objective of this monocentric randomized crossover study is to compare lower-limb muscle fatigue induced by a single exercise session performed with BFR versus a standard exercise session in patients with COPD.
Official title: Blood Flow Restriction (BFR): a Novel Approach to Potentiate the Effects of Rehabilitative Exercise Training in COPD? Study of Acute - Muscular, and Vascular - Responses to a Single Session of Exercise With BFR
Key Details
Gender
All
Age Range
45 Years - Any
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment
40
Start Date
2026-11
Completion Date
2028-12
Last Updated
2026-06-25
Healthy Volunteers
No
Conditions
Interventions
Blood Flow Restriction
Sub-study 1 (RE-BFR): Resistance training consisting of 1 × 30 repetitions followed by 3 × 15 repetitions at 30% 1-RM, performed with thigh BFR to 50-60% of arterial occlusion pressure (AOP). Sub-study 2 (END-BFR): Low-intensity cycling exercise (\~30% peak aerobic power) performed with thigh BFR to 50-60% of AOP.
Standard exercise session
Sub-study 1 (RE): Resistance exercise consisting of 4 × 10 repetitions at 60-70% 1-RM. Sub-study 2 (END): Conventional aerobic endurance cycling exercise performed at \~50% peak aerobic power.
Locations (1)
CReSI - Laboratoire HP2
La Tronche, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France