Effects of Low-volume HIIT Versus MICT on Physical Performance in Older Adults With Possible Sarcopenia

NCT ID: NCT05790863

Last Updated: 2025-07-22

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 30 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2023-03-07
• Study Completion Date: 2024-10-30

Brief Summary

Background: Sarcopenia is an age-related geriatric syndrome characterized by progressive loss of muscle mass and function. Before the diagnosis of sarcopenia, a "possible sarcopenia" stage has been proposed recently, characterized by low muscle strength or poor physical performance, even with normal muscle mass. The definition of "possible sarcopenia" emphasizes the importance of early intervention. Due to the lack of effective pharmaceutical treatments, exercise is recommended as the most available intervention for sarcopenia. High-intensity interval training (HIIT), a time-efficient aerobic training, has gained increasing popularity for its benefits in physiologic outcomes such as muscle strength and physical functions in other populations. However, the benefits of HIIT have not been well-studied following older adults with possible sarcopenia. In the present study, we aim to investigate the effects of a 7-week HIIT and moderate-intensity continuous aerobic training (MICT) on physical performance in older individuals with possible sarcopenia. We hypothesize that HIIT will confer physical benefits over MICT (i.e., traditional endurance exercise) and will be generally well-tolerated in older adults.

Method: The participants will be randomly allocated into the HIIT or MICT group (1:1 ratio). The participants will receive the training 3 times per week over seven weeks. HIIT consists of 5 bouts of interval training intensity with 1-minute-high intensity (76-90% HRmax) and 1-minute recovery per session (total 15 minutes with warm-up and cool-down). MICT will adopt an intensity of 65-70% HRmax training that lasts less than 30 minutes per session (total 25 minutes with warm-up and cool-down). Evaluation will be performed at baseline, after 4 weeks, and 7 weeks of the intervention. The primary outcomes include 10-meter walking test and the five-time chair stand test. The secondary outcomes include grip strength, the functional stretch test; the Exercise Enjoyment Scale and the Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale for affective valence.

Discussion: This is the first study to investigate the effects of low-volume HIIT on physical performance and affective valence in older adults with possible sarcopenia. This study will provide critical evidence to guide early prevention and intervention of exercise regimens for possible sarcopenia.

Conditions

Sarcopenia

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: SINGLE

Study Groups

High-intensity interval training group

Each ergometer cycling training session consists of a warm-up phase lasting two minutes, five interval bouts of one minute each at 77% to 90% of one's HRmax, separated by one minute of passive or low-intensity recovery, and a three-minute cool-down phase. After 4 weeks of the intervention, the minimal intensity that had to be met will be progressively raised (weeks 1-4: 76-85%, weeks 5-7: 85-90%HRmax, respectively). For individuals who are unable to reach 77% HRmax, scores of 15 to 17 (hard to very hard) on the Borg scale will be followed.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Ergometer cycling

Intervention Type: DEVICE

Paticipants will receive 21 sessions (3 sessions/week) of training for 7 weeks with the arm-leg cycle ergometer (SCIFIT, REX7000, US)

Moderate-intensity continuous training group

During the first four weeks, participants will be advised to modify the pedal cadence and/or resistance of the ergometer to obtain an HR equivalent to 65-70% HRmax, rising to 70-76% HRmax during the final 3 weeks. Each session lasts less than 25 minutes of moderate-intensity continuous ergometer cycling, which starts with a two-minute warm-up and ends up with a three-minute cool-down.

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Ergometer cycling

Intervention Type: DEVICE

Paticipants will receive 21 sessions (3 sessions/week) of training for 7 weeks with the arm-leg cycle ergometer (SCIFIT, REX7000, US)

Interventions

Ergometer cycling

Paticipants will receive 21 sessions (3 sessions/week) of training for 7 weeks with the arm-leg cycle ergometer (SCIFIT, REX7000, US)

Intervention Type: DEVICE

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• individuals aged 60 years or older, living in the community
• Able to walk with or without assistive devices
• Recovery from COVID-19 over two months
• With a preliminary screening of SARC-F score ≥4 or calf circumference less than 34cm for man, 33cm for woman will be invited to strength and physical performance measurement
• Handgrip strength less than 28 kg for man, 18 kg for woman and/or gait speed<1m/s and/or 5-time chair stand test ≥12 s.

Exclusion Criteria

• Inability to undertake exercise due to neuromuscular and/or musculoskeletal limitations
• Uncontrolled hypertension (systolic BP>170 or diastolic BP>100 mmHg)
• Reported chronic cardiopulmonary insufficiency in medical history
• Reported vital organ failure and malignancy in medical history
• Cognitive impairments (mini-mental test score<21) with low compliance
• History of lower limb surgeries, fractures, neurological problems, systemic problems, and any other contraindications for aerobic training will be excluded.

• Minimum Eligible Age: 60 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Locations

Wuhan Brain Hospital

Wuhan, Hubei, China

Countries

China

References

Reljic D, Frenk F, Herrmann HJ, Neurath MF, Zopf Y. Effects of very low volume high intensity versus moderate intensity interval training in obese metabolic syndrome patients: a randomized controlled study. Sci Rep. 2021 Feb 2;11(1):2836. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-82372-4.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 33531522 (View on PubMed)

Chen LK, Woo J, Assantachai P, Auyeung TW, Chou MY, Iijima K, Jang HC, Kang L, Kim M, Kim S, Kojima T, Kuzuya M, Lee JSW, Lee SY, Lee WJ, Lee Y, Liang CK, Lim JY, Lim WS, Peng LN, Sugimoto K, Tanaka T, Won CW, Yamada M, Zhang T, Akishita M, Arai H. Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia: 2019 Consensus Update on Sarcopenia Diagnosis and Treatment. J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2020 Mar;21(3):300-307.e2. doi: 10.1016/j.jamda.2019.12.012. Epub 2020 Feb 4.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 32033882 (View on PubMed)

Rosenberg IH. Sarcopenia: origins and clinical relevance. J Nutr. 1997 May;127(5 Suppl):990S-991S. doi: 10.1093/jn/127.5.990S.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 9164280 (View on PubMed)

Dent E, Morley JE, Cruz-Jentoft AJ, Arai H, Kritchevsky SB, Guralnik J, Bauer JM, Pahor M, Clark BC, Cesari M, Ruiz J, Sieber CC, Aubertin-Leheudre M, Waters DL, Visvanathan R, Landi F, Villareal DT, Fielding R, Won CW, Theou O, Martin FC, Dong B, Woo J, Flicker L, Ferrucci L, Merchant RA, Cao L, Cederholm T, Ribeiro SML, Rodriguez-Manas L, Anker SD, Lundy J, Gutierrez Robledo LM, Bautmans I, Aprahamian I, Schols JMGA, Izquierdo M, Vellas B. International Clinical Practice Guidelines for Sarcopenia (ICFSR): Screening, Diagnosis and Management. J Nutr Health Aging. 2018;22(10):1148-1161. doi: 10.1007/s12603-018-1139-9.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 30498820 (View on PubMed)

Lozano-Montoya I, Correa-Perez A, Abraha I, Soiza RL, Cherubini A, O'Mahony D, Cruz-Jentoft AJ. Nonpharmacological interventions to treat physical frailty and sarcopenia in older patients: a systematic overview - the SENATOR Project ONTOP Series. Clin Interv Aging. 2017 Apr 24;12:721-740. doi: 10.2147/CIA.S132496. eCollection 2017.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 28490866 (View on PubMed)

Buchheit M, Laursen PB. High-intensity interval training, solutions to the programming puzzle. Part II: anaerobic energy, neuromuscular load and practical applications. Sports Med. 2013 Oct;43(10):927-54. doi: 10.1007/s40279-013-0066-5.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 23832851 (View on PubMed)

Hannan AL, Hing W, Simas V, Climstein M, Coombes JS, Jayasinghe R, Byrnes J, Furness J. High-intensity interval training versus moderate-intensity continuous training within cardiac rehabilitation: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Open Access J Sports Med. 2018 Jan 26;9:1-17. doi: 10.2147/OAJSM.S150596. eCollection 2018.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 29416382 (View on PubMed)

Jones CJ, Rikli RE, Beam WC. A 30-s chair-stand test as a measure of lower body strength in community-residing older adults. Res Q Exerc Sport. 1999 Jun;70(2):113-9. doi: 10.1080/02701367.1999.10608028.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 10380242 (View on PubMed)

Mehmet H, Yang AWH, Robinson SR. What is the optimal chair stand test protocol for older adults? A systematic review. Disabil Rehabil. 2020 Oct;42(20):2828-2835. doi: 10.1080/09638288.2019.1575922. Epub 2019 Mar 24.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 30907166 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

HSEARS20221231001

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id