Artery Function Responses to Heat Therapy and Exercise Training

NCT04588103 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: HEATEX
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 60
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study will explore the effects of 8 weeks of local leg heat therapy, exercise training, or both on measures of vascular function, cardiorespiratory fitness, and muscle strength in young, healthy individuals. Participants will be allocated into either a control group that will maintain their regular physical activity habits; or into one of three training groups: heat therapy will involve lower limb warm water immersion, exercise training will involve moderate-intensity cycling, and combined training will involve both performed in sequential order.

Conditions

Endothelial Dysfunction

Keywords

heat therapy; exercise training; endothelial function

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Brachial artery endothelial function

  Flow-mediated dilation (FMD) is a measure of the ability of the artery to dilate in response to elevated shear stress, and represents endothelial function. For this technique, a pressure cuff will be wrapped around the forearm and then inflated to \~200 mmHg for 5 minutes to occlude blood flow through the artery site. Doppler ultrasound (Vivid q, GE Medical Systems, Horten, Norway) and a 12 MHz linear array probe will be used to measure artery diameter before cuff inflation (rest), before cuff deflation (ischemia), and for three minutes after cuff deflation (reactive hyperemia). Images of the BA will be collected in Duplex mode and obtained proximal to the antecubital fossa. FMD will be calculated using this formula: FMD% = ((peak diameter-baseline diameter)/baseline diameter) × 100%.

  Change in endothelial function from week 0 to 8

• Arterial stiffness

  Pulse wave velocity (PWV) is a measure of the speed at which a pulse travels between two superficial artery sites, and represents arterial stiffness. For this outcome, applanation tonometers (i.e., micromanometer-tipped probes) (SPT-301, Millar Instruments, Houston, Texas, USA) will be used to detect and transmit pulse pressure wave forms at the carotid, femoral, and dorsalis pedis or tibialis posterior arteries. PWV will be calculated between the carotid-femoral arteries and femoral-foot arteries to quantify central and peripheral arterial stiffness, respectively, using this general formula: PWV = distance/pulse transit time.

  Change in arterial stiffness from week 0 to 8

Secondary Outcomes (7)

• Cardiorespiratory fitness

  Change in cardiorespiratory fitness from week 0 to 8

• Body composition

  Change in body composition from week 0 to 8

• Muscle strength

  Change in muscle strength from week 0 to 8

• Metabolic blood markers

  Change in metabolic markers from week 0 to 8

• Core temperature

  Change in core temperature from week 0 to 8

Study Arms (4)

Control

NO INTERVENTION

Participants will be asked to maintain their regular physical activity habits for the duration of the 8-week intervention period.

Heat therapy

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants will be asked to undergo 45 minutes of lower limb hot water immersion (42 degrees C) 3 times per week for 8 weeks.

Other: Heat therapy

Exercise training

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants will be asked to undergo 45 minutes of moderate-intensity cycling exercise (\~40-59% VO2 reserve) 3 times per week for 8 weeks.

Other: Exercise training

Combined training

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants will be asked to undergo 90 minutes of moderate-intensity cycling exercise and lower limb hot water immersion sequentially 3 times per week for 8 weeks.

Other: Heat therapy; Other: Exercise training

Interventions

Heat therapy OTHER

Lower limb warm water immersion (42 degrees C)

Combined training; Heat therapy

Exercise training OTHER

Moderate-intensity cycling exercise (\~40-59% VO2 reserve)

Combined training; Exercise training

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 35 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Apparently healthy (i.e., no cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, or metabolic disease)
• years old
• Recreationally and/or physically active

You may not qualify if:

• History of cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, or metabolic disease
• Regular smoking and/or vasoactive drug use

Sponsors & Collaborators

• McMaster University: lead

Study Sites (1)

McMaster University Vascular Dynamics Lab

Hamilton, Ontario, L8S 4L8, Canada

Location

Related Publications (20)

• Cheng JL, MacDonald MJ. Effect of heat stress on vascular outcomes in humans. J Appl Physiol (1985). 2019 Mar 1;126(3):771-781. doi: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00682.2018. Epub 2019 Jan 24.

  PMID: 30676869 BACKGROUND

• Deanfield JE, Halcox JP, Rabelink TJ. Endothelial function and dysfunction: testing and clinical relevance. Circulation. 2007 Mar 13;115(10):1285-95. doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.106.652859. No abstract available.

  PMID: 17353456 BACKGROUND

• Gimbrone MA Jr, Garcia-Cardena G. Endothelial Cell Dysfunction and the Pathobiology of Atherosclerosis. Circ Res. 2016 Feb 19;118(4):620-36. doi: 10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.115.306301.

  PMID: 26892962 BACKGROUND

• Heinonen I, Laukkanen JA. Effects of heat and cold on health, with special reference to Finnish sauna bathing. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2018 May 1;314(5):R629-R638. doi: 10.1152/ajpregu.00115.2017. Epub 2017 Dec 20.

  PMID: 29351426 BACKGROUND

• Miyata M, Tei C. Waon therapy for cardiovascular disease: innovative therapy for the 21st century. Circ J. 2010 Apr;74(4):617-21. doi: 10.1253/circj.cj-09-0939. Epub 2010 Feb 13.

  PMID: 20154403 BACKGROUND

• Serbulea M, Payyappallimana U. Onsen (hot springs) in Japan--transforming terrain into healing landscapes. Health Place. 2012 Nov;18(6):1366-73. doi: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2012.06.020. Epub 2012 Jul 17.

  PMID: 22878276 BACKGROUND

• Thijssen DHJ, Bruno RM, van Mil ACCM, Holder SM, Faita F, Greyling A, Zock PL, Taddei S, Deanfield JE, Luscher T, Green DJ, Ghiadoni L. Expert consensus and evidence-based recommendations for the assessment of flow-mediated dilation in humans. Eur Heart J. 2019 Aug 7;40(30):2534-2547. doi: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehz350.

  PMID: 31211361 BACKGROUND

• Van Bortel LM, Laurent S, Boutouyrie P, Chowienczyk P, Cruickshank JK, De Backer T, Filipovsky J, Huybrechts S, Mattace-Raso FU, Protogerou AD, Schillaci G, Segers P, Vermeersch S, Weber T; Artery Society; European Society of Hypertension Working Group on Vascular Structure and Function; European Network for Noninvasive Investigation of Large Arteries. Expert consensus document on the measurement of aortic stiffness in daily practice using carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity. J Hypertens. 2012 Mar;30(3):445-8. doi: 10.1097/HJH.0b013e32834fa8b0.

  PMID: 22278144 BACKGROUND

• Bailey TG, Cable NT, Miller GD, Sprung VS, Low DA, Jones H. Repeated Warm Water Immersion Induces Similar Cerebrovascular Adaptations to 8 Weeks of Moderate-Intensity Exercise Training in Females. Int J Sports Med. 2016 Sep;37(10):757-65. doi: 10.1055/s-0042-106899. Epub 2016 Jun 10.

  PMID: 27286178 RESULT

• Brunt VE, Eymann TM, Francisco MA, Howard MJ, Minson CT. Passive heat therapy improves cutaneous microvascular function in sedentary humans via improved nitric oxide-dependent dilation. J Appl Physiol (1985). 2016 Sep 1;121(3):716-23. doi: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00424.2016. Epub 2016 Jul 14.

  PMID: 27418688 RESULT

• Brunt VE, Howard MJ, Francisco MA, Ely BR, Minson CT. Passive heat therapy improves endothelial function, arterial stiffness and blood pressure in sedentary humans. J Physiol. 2016 Sep 15;594(18):5329-42. doi: 10.1113/JP272453. Epub 2016 Jun 30.

  PMID: 27270841 RESULT

• Carter HH, Spence AL, Atkinson CL, Pugh CJ, Naylor LH, Green DJ. Repeated core temperature elevation induces conduit artery adaptation in humans. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2014 Apr;114(4):859-65. doi: 10.1007/s00421-013-2817-2. Epub 2014 Jan 8.

  PMID: 24399113 RESULT

• Gurovich AN, Braith RW. Enhanced external counterpulsation creates acute blood flow patterns responsible for improved flow-mediated dilation in humans. Hypertens Res. 2013 Apr;36(4):297-305. doi: 10.1038/hr.2012.169. Epub 2012 Oct 18.

  PMID: 23076403 RESULT

• Hesketh K, Shepherd SO, Strauss JA, Low DA, Cooper RJ, Wagenmakers AJM, Cocks M. Passive heat therapy in sedentary humans increases skeletal muscle capillarization and eNOS content but not mitochondrial density or GLUT4 content. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2019 Jul 1;317(1):H114-H123. doi: 10.1152/ajpheart.00816.2018. Epub 2019 May 10.

  PMID: 31074654 RESULT

• Hoekstra SP, Bishop NC, Faulkner SH, Bailey SJ, Leicht CA. Acute and chronic effects of hot water immersion on inflammation and metabolism in sedentary, overweight adults. J Appl Physiol (1985). 2018 Dec 1;125(6):2008-2018. doi: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00407.2018. Epub 2018 Oct 18.

  PMID: 30335579 RESULT

• Hunter SD, Dhindsa MS, Cunningham E, Tarumi T, Alkatan M, Nualnim N, Elmenshawy A, Tanaka H. The effect of Bikram yoga on endothelial function in young and middle-aged and older adults. J Bodyw Mov Ther. 2017 Jan;21(1):30-34. doi: 10.1016/j.jbmt.2016.06.004. Epub 2016 Jun 17.

  PMID: 28167186 RESULT

• Jakubowski JS, Wong EPT, Nunes EA, Noguchi KS, Vandeweerd JK, Murphy KT, Morton RW, McGlory C, Phillips SM. Equivalent Hypertrophy and Strength Gains in beta-Hydroxy-beta-Methylbutyrate- or Leucine-supplemented Men. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2019 Jan;51(1):65-74. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000001752.

  PMID: 30113522 RESULT

• Schlader ZJ, Gagnon D, Adams A, Rivas E, Cullum CM, Crandall CG. Cognitive and perceptual responses during passive heat stress in younger and older adults. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2015 May 15;308(10):R847-54. doi: 10.1152/ajpregu.00010.2015. Epub 2015 Mar 18.

  PMID: 25786484 RESULT

• Totosy de Zepetnek JO, Ditor DS, Au JS, MacDonald MJ. Impact of shear rate pattern on upper and lower limb conduit artery endothelial function in both spinal cord-injured and able-bodied men. Exp Physiol. 2015 Oct;100(10):1107-17. doi: 10.1113/EP085056. Epub 2015 Aug 18.

  PMID: 26206681 RESULT

• Cheng JL, Pizzola CA, Mattook KC, Noguchi KS, Armstrong CM, Bagri GK, Macdonald MJ. Effects of Lower Limb Heat Therapy, Exercise Training, or a Combined Intervention on Vascular Function: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2025 Jan 1;57(1):94-105. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000003550. Epub 2024 Sep 16.

  PMID: 39283227 DERIVED

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Hyperthermia

Interventions

Diathermy; Exercise

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Body Temperature Changes; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Heat Stress Disorders; Wounds and Injuries

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Hyperthermia, Induced; Therapeutics; Motor Activity; Movement; Musculoskeletal Physiological Phenomena; Musculoskeletal and Neural Physiological Phenomena

Study Officials

• Maureen J MacDonald, PhD

  McMaster University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: BASIC SCIENCE
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: October 2, 2020
• First Posted: October 19, 2020
• Study Start: July 13, 2021
• Primary Completion: June 18, 2022
• Study Completion: June 18, 2022
• Last Updated: November 9, 2022

Record last verified: 2022-11

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

CA (1)