Isometric Resistance Exercise for Hypertension

NCT ID: NCT06510998

Last Updated: 2025-12-29

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

390 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2025-01-01

Study Completion Date

2027-09-28

Brief Summary

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Background: Isometric resistance exercises (IREs) have great potential to improve blood pressure (BP) control. However, the effectiveness of IREs in reducing HT is still unknown because their hypotensive effects have not been detected using ambulatory BP measurements (ABPM), which are the current standard for BP measurement.

Methods: This first adequately-powered RCT will involve 390 patients with HT who do not meet the current physical activity guidelines defined by the World Health Organization. Participants will be randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio using stratified and blocked randomization to either the IRE (wall squat) group or stretching exercise (active control) group. A well-structured, widely accepted, and validated 24-week wall squat program (2 minutes per exercise, 2 minutes of rest between sets, and 3 sessions per week) will be implemented, as it has been commonly used in previous research. Adherence to the program will be monitored using smartwatches, and regular contact with patients through social media will help ensure adherence. All patients will be followed up for 1 year to investigate the long-term effects of IREs on BP. Control group will receive exact same treatment except that IRE is replaced by frequency-matched and time-matched stretching exercise. The primary outcome measure will be systolic daytime ABPM BP at 24 weeks. Secondary outcome measures will include other BP and ABPM parameters at 12 weeks, 24weeks and 1year, cfPWV at baseline, 24 weeks and 1year, and FMD at baseline and 24weeks. Safety data will be collected and reported.

Detailed Description

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Conditions

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Hypertension

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

DOUBLE

Investigators Outcome Assessors

Study Groups

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Isometric exercise

2 minutes wall squat, with 2 minutes rest between sets

* to perform 4 sets in total/day
* at least 3 days/week
* totally for 24-weeks

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

isometric wall exercise

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Each exercise session will contain 4 sets of 2-minute wall squat isometric holds with 2 minutes of rest between each set (approximately 14 minutes per session in total), and a total of 3 sessions will be arranged every week (with ideally 48 h between exercises)

passive stretching

14 minutes passive stretching

* at least 3 days/week
* totally 24-weeks

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

passive stretching

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

A frequency-matched (3x/week) and time-matched (\~14 minutes each session) passive static stretching exercise will be used

Interventions

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isometric wall exercise

Each exercise session will contain 4 sets of 2-minute wall squat isometric holds with 2 minutes of rest between each set (approximately 14 minutes per session in total), and a total of 3 sessions will be arranged every week (with ideally 48 h between exercises)

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

passive stretching

A frequency-matched (3x/week) and time-matched (\~14 minutes each session) passive static stretching exercise will be used

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* a suboptimal daytime SBP of \>135-160 mmHg on a 24-h ABPM
* reported no regular physical activity or less than that recommended for adults by the World Health Organization (e.g. \<150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per week)
* on stable doses of anti-HT medication(s) for ≥4 weeks if the patient is receiving drug treatments;
* agree for no drug changes during the intervention period (24 weeks);

Exclusion Criteria

* cannot provide informed consent
* unwillingness to repeat ABPM
* relative contraindications to ABPM (i.e. diagnosed atrial fibrillation, nighttime workers, occupational drivers, or patients with bleeding tendencies)
* severe osteoarthritis pending knee replacement surgery
* known secondary HT
* use of ≥3 anti-HT medications at maximum doses or ≥4 anti-HT medications
* SBP or DBP are \>160 mmHg or \>100 mmHg, respectively, on ABPM at baseline or at 12 weeks follow-up to ensure safety
* pregnancy/breastfeeding
* active malignancy
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Chinese University of Hong Kong

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Lee Kam Pui

clinical associate professor

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

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Lek Yuen General Outpatient Clinic

Hong Kong, , Hong Kong

Site Status RECRUITING

School of public health and primary care

Hong Kong, , Hong Kong

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

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Hong Kong

Central Contacts

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Eric Kam-Pui Lee, MSc, FRACGP

Role: CONTACT

Phone: 22528462

Email: [email protected]

Facility Contacts

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Eric Kam-Pui Prof Lee

Role: primary

kam pui Lee, Msc

Role: primary

Other Identifiers

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2022.618

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id