High-intensity interval training in people with Parkinson’s disease: a randomized, controlled feasibility trial

Harvey, Marguerite; Weston, Kathryn L; Gray, William K; O�Callaghan, Ailish; Oates, Lloyd L; Davidson, Richard; Walker, Richard W

Abstract

Objectives:
To investigate whether people with Parkinson’s disease can exercise at a high-intensity across a 12-week intervention and to assess the impact of the intervention on cardiorespiratory fitness.

Design:
This is a randomized, controlled, feasibility study with waiting list control. Assessors were blinded to group allocation.

Setting:
The intervention took place at an exercise centre and assessments at a district general hospital.

Subjects:
This study included 20 people with idiopathic Parkinson’s disease.

Intervention:
A total of 36 exercise sessions over 12 weeks, with each session lasting ~45 minutes, were conducted.

Main measures:
The main measures were maximal heart rates achieved during exercise, recruitment rate, attendance, drop-out, change in peak oxygen consumption, cardiac output, cognitive function and quality of life. The study was considered technically feasible if participants achieved ⩾ 85% of maximal heart rate during exercise.

Results:
There were 12 male and 8 female participants; they had a mean age of 68.5 years (standard deviation 6.825). Two participants were of Hoehn and Yahr stage I, 11 stage II and 7 stage III. In all, 17 participants completed the intervention. The median (interquartile range) proportion of repetitions delivered across the intervention which met our high-intensity criterion was 80% (67% to 84%). Mean peak heart rate was 88.8% of maximal. Peak oxygen consumption increased by 2.8 mL kg−1 min−1 in the intervention group and 1.5 mL kg−1 min−1 in the control group after 12 weeks of exercise. We estimate that a fully powered randomized controlled trial would require 30 participants per group.

Conclusion:
High-intensity interval exercise is feasible in people with Parkinson’s disease. Improvements in cardiorespiratory function are promising.

Citation

Harvey, M., Weston, K. L., Gray, W. K., O’Callaghan, A., Oates, L. L., Davidson, R., & Walker, R. W. (2019). High-intensity interval training in people with Parkinson’s disease: a randomized, controlled feasibility trial. Clinical Rehabilitation, 33(3), 428-438. https://doi.org/10.1177/0269215518815221

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Nov 5, 2018
• Online Publication Date: Dec 4, 2018
• Publication Date: 2019-03
• Deposit Date: Dec 4, 2020
• Journal: Clinical Rehabilitation
• Print ISSN: 0269-2155
• Electronic ISSN: 1477-0873
• Publisher: SAGE Publications
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 33
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 428-438
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0269215518815221
• Keywords: Parkinson’s disease, high-intensity interval training, physiotherapy, exercise
• Public URL: http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/Output/2699075