Protective potential of high-intensity interval training on cardiac structure and function after COVID-19: protocol and statistical analysis plan for an investigator-blinded randomised controlled trial
Lars Køber,
Mathias Ried-Larsen,
Bente Klarlund Pedersen,
Niels Vejlstrup,
Frederik Foged,
Iben Elmerdahl Rasmussen,
Josephine Bjørn Budde,
Rasmus Syberg Rasmussen,
Villads Rasmussen,
Mark Lyngbæk,
Simon Jønck,
Rikke Krogh-Madsen,
Birgitte Lindegaard,
Regitse Højgaard Christensen,
Peter Godsk Jørgensen,
Morten Asp Vonsild Lund,
Ronan M G Berg
Affiliations
Lars Køber
Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
Mathias Ried-Larsen
1 Centre for Physical Activity Research, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Region Hovedstaden, Denmark
Bente Klarlund Pedersen
Centre for Physical Activity Research, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
Niels Vejlstrup
5 Department of Cardiology, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
Frederik Foged
Centre for Physical Activity Research (CFAS), Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
Iben Elmerdahl Rasmussen
Centre for Physical Activity Research, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
Josephine Bjørn Budde
Centre for Physical Activity Research (CFAS), Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
Rasmus Syberg Rasmussen
Centre for Physical Activity Research (CFAS), Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
Villads Rasmussen
Centre for Physical Activity Research (CFAS), Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
Mark Lyngbæk
Centre for Physical Activity Research (CFAS), Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
Simon Jønck
Centre for Physical Activity Research (CFAS), Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
Rikke Krogh-Madsen
Centre for Physical Activity Research (CFAS), Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
Birgitte Lindegaard
Department of Pulmonary Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital - North Zealand, Hillerød, Denmark
Regitse Højgaard Christensen
Centre for Physical Activity Research, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
Peter Godsk Jørgensen
Department of Cardiology, Herlev Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
Morten Asp Vonsild Lund
Department of Cardiology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
Ronan M G Berg
Deparment of Biomedical Sciences, University of Copenhagen Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Copenhagen, Denmark
Introduction COVID-19 is associated with a marked systemic inflammatory response with concomitant cardiac injury and remodelling, but it is currently unknown whether the latter is reversible. Given that high-intensity interval training (HIIT) is a powerful stimulus to improve cardiorespiratory fitness while also eliciting marked anti-inflammatory effects, it may be an important countermeasure of reducing cardiopulmonary morbidity following COVID-19.Methods and analysis 40 COVID-19 survivors who have been discharged from hospital will be included in this investigator-blinded randomised study with a 12-week HIIT intervention. Patients will be 1:1 block-randomised by sex to either a supervised HIIT exercise group or standard care (control group). The main hypothesis is that a 12-week HIIT scheme is a safe way to improve loss of cardiac mass and associated cardiorespiratory fitness, despite hypothesised limited HIIT-induced changes in conventional lung function indices per se. Ultimately, we hypothesise that the HIIT scheme will reduce post-COVID-19 symptoms and improve quality of life.Ethics and dissemination This study is approved by the Scientific Ethical Committee at the Capital Region of Denmark (H-20033733, including amendments 75068 and 75799) and registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04647734, pre-results). The findings will be published in a peer-reviewed journal, including cases of positive, negative and inconclusive results.Trial registration number NCT04549337.