NCT01966835

Brief Summary

Poor sleep quality and sleep disturbances are common in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and are associated with an increased risk of co-morbidity and all-cause mortality.Few studies have examined the possibilities of improving sleep in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, and the focus has primarily been on medical treatment. Aerobic exercise training constitutes a potentially promising, non-pharmacological alternative to improve sleep. This study is a randomized controlled trial of 44 patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The aim is to investigate the effect of a moderate-to-high intensity aerobic interval training intervention on sleep quality and sleep disturbances in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The primary hypothesis is that moderate-to high intensity aerobic exercise will improve objective measured sleep quality and sleep disturbances. The secondary hypothesis is that the intervention may improve fitness, subjective sleep quality and physical function as well as reduce pain, fatigue, depressive symptoms and improve health-related quality of life.

Trial Health

55
Monitor

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Enrollment
44

participants targeted

Target at P25-P50 for not_applicable rheumatoid-arthritis

Geographic Reach
1 country

1 active site

Status
unknown

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

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Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

Study Start

First participant enrolled

May 1, 2013

Completed
6 months until next milestone

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

October 16, 2013

Completed
6 days until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

October 22, 2013

Completed
1.1 years until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

December 1, 2014

Completed
Last Updated

July 18, 2014

Status Verified

July 1, 2014

Enrollment Period

1.6 years

First QC Date

October 16, 2013

Last Update Submit

July 17, 2014

Conditions

Keywords

sleep qualitysleep disturbanceshigh intensity aerobic interval trainingrheumatoid arthritisfatiguepainpolysomnographywatt max

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

  • sleep

    Measured by polysomnography. Polysomnography is a objective measurement of sleep duration, sleep stages and sleep quality.

    Change from baseline in objectively measured sleep to 8 weeks

Secondary Outcomes (12)

  • Cardiopulmonary fitness

    change in baseline in VO2-max to 8 weeks

  • Plasma

    change from baseline in plasma to 8 weeks

  • physiological outcomes

    change from baseline in blood pressure, weight and height to 8 weeks

  • Disease activity

    change from baseline in disease activity to 8 weeks

  • self reported sleep quality and sleep disturbances

    change from baseline in selfreported sleep to 8 weeks

  • +7 more secondary outcomes

Study Arms (2)

High intensity aerobic interval training

EXPERIMENTAL

The intervention consists of a total of 18 moderate-to-high intensity aerobic interval training sessions (20-30 minutes/session) spread over a maximum of eight weeks (2-3 times/week) as shown in Table 1. The training sessions are performed on bicycle ergometers (Kettler) and supervised by physiotherapists. Each session is built up by brief periods of high-intensity aerobic exercise (70-80 %) separated by recovery periods of lower-intensity (40-50%). Each session is introduced by a 5-minute warm-up and ends with a 5-minute cool-down (equivalent to 40-50% watt max). The absolute exercise intensity/workload (watt) is determined individually for each participant based on the watt max test performed at baseline.

Behavioral: High intensity aerobic interval training

control group

NO INTERVENTION

no exercise intervention

Interventions

The intervention consists of a total of 18 moderate-to-high intensity aerobic interval training sessions (20-30 minutes/session) spread over a maximum of eight weeks (2-3 times/week) as shown in Table 1. The training sessions are performed on bicycle ergometers (Kettler) and supervised by physiotherapists. Each session is built up by brief periods of high-intensity aerobic exercise (70-80 %) separated by recovery periods of lower-intensity (40-50%). Each session is introduced by a 5-minute warm-up and ends with a 5-minute cool-down (equivalent to 40-50% watt max). The absolute exercise intensity/workload (watt) is determined individually for each participant based on the watt max test performed at baseline.

High intensity aerobic interval training

Eligibility Criteria

Age18 Years - 70 Years
Sexall
Healthy VolunteersNo
Age GroupsAdult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

  • age 18-70 years
  • a clinical diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis
  • Experience poor sleep quality (PSQI \>5)
  • Low disease activity (DAS28\<3.2)
  • Understand Danish

You may not qualify if:

  • Documented sleep apnea (AHI \>15/hour)
  • ECG that does not allow exercise
  • Night work during the period in which the intervention takes place
  • Pregnant or are breast-feeding
  • Treatment with steroid, hypnotics, antidepressants, antipsychotics
  • Cardiac symptoms - NYHA \>2
  • Regular physically active (aerobic exercise \>3 x per week)

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (1)

Glostrup Hospital, Copenhagen University

Glostrup Municipality, Copenhagen, 2600, Denmark

RECRUITING

Related Publications (1)

  • Loppenthin K, Esbensen BA, Jennum P, Ostergaard M, Christensen JF, Thomsen T, Bech JS, Midtgaard J. Effect of intermittent aerobic exercise on sleep quality and sleep disturbances in patients with rheumatoid arthritis - design of a randomized controlled trial. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2014 Feb 21;15:49. doi: 10.1186/1471-2474-15-49.

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Arthritis, RheumatoidParasomniasSleep Initiation and Maintenance DisordersFatiguePain

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

ArthritisJoint DiseasesMusculoskeletal DiseasesRheumatic DiseasesConnective Tissue DiseasesSkin and Connective Tissue DiseasesAutoimmune DiseasesImmune System DiseasesSleep Wake DisordersNervous System DiseasesMental DisordersSleep Disorders, IntrinsicDyssomniasSigns and SymptomsPathological Conditions, Signs and SymptomsNeurologic Manifestations

Study Officials

  • Poul Jennum, Professor

    Danish center for sleep medicine, department of clinical neurophysiology, Glostrup Hospital, Copenhagen University, Denmark

    STUDY DIRECTOR

Central Study Contacts

Katrine Loeppenthin

CONTACT

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
not applicable
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
SINGLE
Who Masked
OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
Intervention Model
PARALLEL
Sponsor Type
OTHER
Responsible Party
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
PI Title
PhD student

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

October 16, 2013

First Posted

October 22, 2013

Study Start

May 1, 2013

Primary Completion

December 1, 2014

Last Updated

July 18, 2014

Record last verified: 2014-07

Locations