Key result
Low-intensity blood flow restriction training shows no difference in PWV versus traditional resistance exercise.
Why the study?
The long-term effect of low-intensity resistance exercise with moderate blood-flow restriction on arterial stiffness and safety in elderly people with low gait speed was unknown.
Does 12-week Low-Intensity Resistance Exercise with Moderate Blood-Flow Restriction (LIRE-BFR) improve arterial stiffness compared to traditional resistance exercise in octogenarian people with low gait speed?
RCT (n=12)
Open-label
Parallel
No
Does 12-week Low-Intensity Resistance Exercise with Moderate Blood-Flow Restriction (LIRE-BFR) improve arterial stiffness compared to traditional resistance exercise in octogenarian people with low gait speed?
Standardized Mean Difference: 0.52
Absolute Event Rate: 1.1% vs -2.9%
p-value: p=0.21
In octogenarians with low gait speed, 12 weeks of low-intensity resistance exercise with blood flow restriction did not significantly alter arterial stiffness compared to traditional resistance exercise.
LIRE-BFR yields no arterial stiffness advantage over traditional exercise in octogenarians; leaves open whether alternative protocols or durations affect vascular outcomes.
Aim: Aging is associated with loss of muscle mass and strength. Low-Intensity Resistance Exercise with Moderate Blood-Flow Restriction (LIRE-BFR) improves these outcomes, but the long-term effect on arterial stiffness and safety in elderly people with low gait speed is unknown. Methods: This is a parallel, randomized controlled clinical study with 12 older adults (3 men; 9 women; 84.0 [76.0; 87.5] years old) who completed a 12-week training of traditional resistance exercise (TRE; n=6) or LIRE-BFR (n=6). All participants were evaluated at baseline and after 12 weeks by carotid-femoral aortic Pulse Wave Velocity (PWV). Results: After 12 weeks of interventions, PWV decreased in TRE group (-2.9 [-8.1; 2.4] m/s) and increased slightly in LIRE-BFR group (1.1 [-3.2; 5.3] m/s) but no differences were observed between the groups (p=0.21 for group; Hedge’s g: 0.52). Mean blood pressure was similar between TRE (86.2 [81.8; 90.9] to 85.8 [76.5; 96.3] mmHg) and LIRE-BFR (92.4 [82.1; 103.9] to 85.5 [79.2; 92.4] mmHg, p=0.462 for interaction). Gait speed increased significantly after 12 weeks in both groups (p<0.001 for time) with no differences between them (p=0.693 for groups). Conclusions: Compared to TRE, LIRE-BFR increased PWV slightly, while gait speed increased similarly in both training modalities. Larger clinical trials including elderly people with low gait speed are needed to determine the clinical impact of these findings.
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Santos et al. (2023) conducted an RCT in Low gait speed (n=12). Low-Intensity Resistance Exercise with Moderate Blood-Flow Restriction (LIRE-BFR) vs. Traditional Resistance Exercise (TRE) at 60% of 1RM was evaluated on Change in arterial stiffness evaluated by carotid-femoral aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) (Hedge's g 0.52, p=0.21). Compared to traditional resistance exercise, 12 weeks of low-intensity resistance training with blood flow restriction resulted in a non-significant difference in pulse wave velocity change (1.1 vs -2.9 m/s, p=0.21, Hedge's g 0.52).
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