Journal Article

High-intensity interval training and moderate-intensity continuous training in adults with Crohn’s disease: a pilot randomised controlled trial

Fairhurst, Caroline, Bottoms, Lindsay, Carpenter, Roger, Langmead, Louise, Seed, Michael, Ramage, John, Faulkner, James, Leighton, Dean, Anderson, Simon, Coleman, Elizabeth, Tew, Garry A.

2019

Overview

Background This study assessed the feasibility and acceptability of two common types of exercise training—high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT)—in adults with Crohn’s disease (CD). Methods In this mixed-methods pilot trial, participants with quiescent or mildly-active CD were randomly assigned 1:1:1 to HIIT, MICT or usual care control, and followed up for 6 months. The HIIT and MICT groups were offered three exercise sessions per week for the first 12 weeks. Feasibility outcomes included rates of recruitment, retention, outcome completion, and exercise attendance. Data were collected on cardiorespiratory fitness (e.g., peak oxygen uptake), disease activity, fatigue, quality of life, adverse events, and intervention acceptability (via interviews). Results Over 17 months, 53 patients were assessed for eligibility and 36 (68%) were randomised (47% male; mean age 36.9 [SD 11.2] years); 13 to HIIT, 12 to MICT, and 11 to control. The exercise session attendance rate was 62% for HIIT (288/465) and 75% for MICT (320/429), with 62% of HIIT participants (8/13) and 67% of MICT participants (8/12) completing at least 24 of 36 sessions. One participant was lost to follow-up. Outcome completion rates ranged from 89 to 97%. The mean increase in peak oxygen uptake, relative to control, was greater following HIIT than MICT (2.4 vs. 0.7 mL/kg/min). There were three non-serious exercise-related adverse events, and two exercise participants experienced disease relapse during follow-up. Conclusions The findings support the feasibility and acceptability of the exercise programmes and trial procedures. A definitive trial is warranted. Physical exercise remains a potentially useful adjunct therapy in CD. [ID: ISRCTN13021107].

• Publisher: BioMed Central,BioMed Central Ltd,Springer Nature B.V,BMC
• Subject: Adult / Adults / Anxiety - etiology / Cardiorespiratory Fitness / Cardiovascular disease / Care and treatment / Clinical trials / Crohn Disease - complications / Crohn Disease - psychology / Crohn Disease - rehabilitation / Crohn's disease / Depression - etiology / Endurance Training - adverse effects / Endurance Training - methods / Evidence-based medicine / Exercise / Exercise therapy / Fatigue / Fatigue - etiology / Feasibility Studies / Female / Fitness training programs / Gastroenterology / Gastroesophageal disorders / Health aspects / Hepatology / High intensity interval training / High-Intensity Interval Training - adverse effects / High-Intensity Interval Training - methods / Humans / Inflammatory bowel disease / Internal Medicine / Interval training / Male / Maximum oxygen consumption / Medical research / Medicine / Medicine & Public Health / Mental health / Methods / Middle Aged / Oxygen / Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Patient Compliance / Patients / Physical fitness / Physical therapy / Pilot Projects / Quality of Life / Randomised controlled trial / Recurrence (Disease) / Research Article / Studies / Systematic review