Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2016 Apr;97(4):596-603.
doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2015.12.018. Epub 2016 Jan 4.

Exercise Induces Peripheral Muscle But Not Cardiac Adaptations After Stroke: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial

Sarah A Moore  1 , Djordje G Jakovljevic  2 , Gary A Ford  3 , Lynn Rochester  4 , Michael I Trenell  2
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Exercise Induces Peripheral Muscle But Not Cardiac Adaptations After Stroke: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial

Sarah A Moore et al. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2016 Apr.

Abstract

Objective: To explore the physiological factors affecting exercise-induced changes in peak oxygen consumption and function poststroke.

Design: Single-center, single-blind, randomized controlled pilot trial.

Setting: Community stroke services.

Participants: Adults (N=40; age>50y; independent with/without stick) with stroke (diagnosed >6 mo previously) were recruited from 117 eligible participants. Twenty participants were randomized to the intervention group and 20 to the control group. No dropouts or adverse events were reported.

Interventions: Intervention group: 19-week (3 times/wk) progressive mixed (aerobic/strength/balance/flexibility) community group exercise program. Control group: Matched duration home stretching program.

Main outcome measures: (1) Pre- and postintervention: maximal cardiopulmonary exercise testing with noninvasive (bioreactance) cardiac output measurements; and (2) functional outcome measures: 6-minute walk test; timed Up and Go test, and Berg Balance Scale.

Results: Exercise improved peak oxygen consumption (18±5 to 21±5 mL/(kg⋅min); P<.01) and peak arterial-venous oxygen difference (9.2±2.7 to 11.4±2.9 mL of O2/100 mL of blood; P<.01), but did not alter cardiac output (17.2±4 to 17.7±4.2 L/min; P=.44) or cardiac power output (4.8±1.3 to 5.0±1.35 W; P=.45). A significant relation existed between change in peak oxygen consumption and change in peak arterial-venous oxygen difference (r=.507; P<.05), but not with cardiac output. Change in peak oxygen consumption did not strongly correlate with change in function.

Conclusions: Exercise induced peripheral muscle, but not cardiac output, adaptations after stroke. Implications for stroke clinical care should be explored further in a broader cohort.

Keywords: Cardiac output; Exercise; Physical fitness; Rehabilitation; Stroke.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1
Flow diagram of study participants (CONsolidated Standards Of Reporting Trials diagram). Abbreviations: MMSE, Mini-Mental Scale Examination; MRI, magnetic resonance imaging.
Fig 2
Fig 2
Relation (A) between peak oxygen consumption and cardiac output and (B) between peak oxygen consumption and arterial-venous oxygen difference.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Smith A.C., Saunders D.H., Mead G. Cardiorespiratory fitness after stroke: a systematic review. Int J Stroke. 2012;7:499–510. - PubMed
    1. Hackam D.G., Spence D. Combining multiple approaches for the secondary prevention of vascular events after stroke: a quantitative modeling study. Stroke. 2007;38:1881–1885. - PubMed
    1. Bassett D.R., Howley E.T. Limiting factors for maximum oxygen uptake and determinants of endurance performance. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2000;32:70–84. - PubMed
    1. Tomczak C.R., Jelani A., Haennel R.G., Haykowsky M.J., Welsh R., Manns P.J. Cardiac reserve and pulmonary gas exchange kinetics in patients with stroke. Stroke. 2008;39:3102–3106. - PubMed
    1. Jakovljevic D.G., Moore S.A., Tan L.-B., Rochester L., Ford G.A., Trenell M.I. Discrepancy between cardiac and physical functional reserves in stroke. Stroke. 2012;43:1422–1425. - PubMed

Publication types

Associated data