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. 2021 Feb 2;10(3):547.
doi: 10.3390/jcm10030547.

Low-Intensity Resistance Training with Moderate Blood Flow Restriction Appears Safe and Increases Skeletal Muscle Strength and Size in Cardiovascular Surgery Patients: A Pilot Study

Hironaga Ogawa  1 , Toshiaki Nakajima  2   3 , Ikuko Shibasaki  1 , Takahisa Nasuno  2 , Hiroyuki Kaneda  2 , Satoshi Katayanagi  4 , Hayato Ishizaka  4 , Yuta Mizushima  4 , Azusa Uematsu  5 , Tomohiro Yasuda  6 , Hiroshi Yagi  2 , Shigeru Toyoda  2 , Tibor Hortobágyi  7 , Takashi Mizushima  4 , Teruo Inoue  2 , Hirotsugu Fukuda  1
Affiliations

Low-Intensity Resistance Training with Moderate Blood Flow Restriction Appears Safe and Increases Skeletal Muscle Strength and Size in Cardiovascular Surgery Patients: A Pilot Study

Hironaga Ogawa et al. J Clin Med. .

Abstract

We examined the safety and the effects of low-intensity resistance training (RT) with moderate blood flow restriction (KAATSU RT) on muscle strength and size in patients early after cardiac surgery. Cardiac patients (age 69.6 ± 12.6 years, n = 21, M = 18) were randomly assigned to the control (n = 10) and the KAATSU RT group (n = 11). All patients had received a standard aerobic cardiac rehabilitation program. The KAATSU RT group additionally executed low-intensity leg extension and leg press exercises with moderate blood flow restriction twice a week for 3 months. RT-intensity and volume were increased gradually. We evaluated the anterior mid-thigh thickness (MTH), skeletal muscle mass index (SMI), handgrip strength, knee extensor strength, and walking speed at baseline, 5-7 days after cardiac surgery, and after 3 months. A physician monitored the electrocardiogram, rate of perceived exertion, and the color of the lower limbs during KAATSU RT. Creatine phosphokinase (CPK) and D-dimer were measured at baseline and after 3 months. There were no side effects during KAATSU RT. CPK and D-dimer were normal after 3 months. MTH, SMI, walking speed, and knee extensor strength increased after 3 months with KAATSU RT compared with baseline. Relatively low vs. high physical functioning patients tended to increase physical function more after 3 months with KAATSU RT. Low-intensity KAATSU RT as an adjuvant to standard cardiac rehabilitation can safely increase skeletal muscle strength and size in cardiovascular surgery patients.

Keywords: KAATSU training; cardiac rehabilitation; cardiac surgery; moderate blood flow restriction; muscle hypertrophy; resistance exercise; sarcopenia.

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Conflict of interest statement

Toshiaki Nakajima belongs to a donation course supported by KAATSU JAPAN Co., Ltd., but KAATSU JAPAN Co., LTD had no role in the design and analysis of the data. The other authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Patient selection.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Correlations between baseline and changes after 3 months in MTH, SMI, walking speed, and knee extensor strength. A: correlation for MTH, B: correlation for SMI, C: correlation for walking speed, D: correlation for knee extensor strength. Open circles: the control group, filled circles: the moderate blood flow restriction (KAATSU RT) group. Dotted line: a regression line in the control group, continuous line: a regression line in the KAATSU RT group. *: Significant tendency in the KAATSU RT group (p < 0.1), #: Significance in the control and the KAATSU RT group (p < 0.05), †: Significance in the control group (p < 0.05).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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