Brain and Peripheral Muscle Oxygenation in Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

NCT07285642 | Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: fNIRS&Exercise
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 60
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This interventional study aims to investigate the acute effects of different types of exercise on cerebral and peripheral muscle oxygenation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) and near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) will be used simultaneously to measure oxygenation changes in the prefrontal cortex and the vastus lateralis muscle during rest, Stroop task performance, the six-minute walk test, aerobic, strengthening, and breathing exercises. The study will compare COPD patients and age- and sex-matched healthy controls to determine how brain and muscle oxygenation responses differ between groups and among exercise modalities. The findings are expected to guide the design of safe, individualized pulmonary rehabilitation programs that optimize oxygenation without compromising safety.

Conditions

Copd

Keywords

COPD; FNIRS; Brain; Quadriceps femoris

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Change in cerebral oxygenation during exercise

  fNIRS device (Artinis Brite Lite, The Netherlands) with 8-channel prefrontal montage, sampling at 10 Hz. Data analyzed with MATLAB-based Homer3 and NIRS-KIT software.

  Day 1

Secondary Outcomes (5)

• Change in peripheral muscle oxygenation

  Day 1

• Cognitive performance (reaction time, accuracy in Stroop task)

  Pre-exercise (baseline) and immediately post-exercise (within 5 minutes after final exercise).

• Six-Minute Walk Distance (6MWD)

  Baseline

• Perceived Dyspnea (Modified Borg Scale)

  Day 1

• Physical Activity Level (IPAQ-Short Form)

  Baseline

Study Arms (2)

COPD

EXPERIMENTAL

Other: Aerobic Exercise (Treadmill Walking); Other: Resistance Exercise (Upper and Lower Limb Strength Training); Other: Breathing Exercises; Other: Cognitive Task (Stroop Task)

Healthy Individuals

EXPERIMENTAL

Other: Aerobic Exercise (Treadmill Walking); Other: Resistance Exercise (Upper and Lower Limb Strength Training); Other: Breathing Exercises; Other: Cognitive Task (Stroop Task)

Interventions

Breathing Exercises OTHER

Participants perform controlled breathing exercises including diaphragmatic, chest, and lateral basal breathing techniques. Each pattern is executed in 10-repetition cycles, repeated for 15 minutes with 10-second rest intervals. All sessions begin with pursed-lip breathing instruction and are performed in a seated position.

COPD; Healthy Individuals

Cognitive Task (Stroop Task) OTHER

A computerized color-word interference test (PsychoPy software) is administered before and after the exercise session to evaluate executive function and attention. Performance is analyzed in relation to concurrent fNIRS measurements from the prefrontal cortex.

COPD; Healthy Individuals

Resistance Exercise (Upper and Lower Limb Strength Training) OTHER

Participants perform resistance exercises for upper and lower limb major muscle groups using 60% of one-repetition maximum (1RM). Each exercise consists of 12 repetitions per set, repeated for 15 minutes with 10-second rest intervals between sets. Movements include shoulder flexion/abduction/extension, hip flexion/abduction/adduction/extension, knee extension, and squatting.

COPD; Healthy Individuals

Aerobic Exercise (Treadmill Walking) OTHER

Participants perform treadmill walking for 15 minutes at 60% of the heart rate reserve (HRR), following a 2-minute warm-up period. Exercise intensity is calculated individually using the Karvonen formula. Continuous oxygenation monitoring is conducted via fNIRS (prefrontal cortex) and NIRS (vastus lateralis).

COPD; Healthy Individuals

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 40 Years - 70 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Age 40-70 years
• Diagnosis of moderate-to-severe COPD (GOLD stage II-III)
• Stable disease (no exacerbation in previous 4 weeks)
• BMI 18.5-24.9 kg/m²
• Manual muscle strength ≥ 4 (MRC scale)
• Ability to perform exercise tests safely
• Written informed consent

You may not qualify if:

• Severe comorbid conditions (uncontrolled cardiac, neurological, or orthopedic disease)
• Need for high-flow oxygen therapy (\>2 L/min)
• History of cerebrovascular disease or transient ischemic attack
• Musculoskeletal or dermatological conditions impairing NIRS measurement sites
• Restrictive lung disease, interstitial lung disease, or small-airway disease
• Participation in an exercise program within the last 12 months
• Healthy Controls
• Age 40-70 years
• No acute or chronic disease
• Non-smoker
• BMI 18.5-24.9 kg/m²
• No musculoskeletal limitations

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Saglik Bilimleri Universitesi: lead

Study Sites (1)

Esra Pehlivan

Istanbul, 34668, Turkey (Türkiye)

RECRUITING

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive

Interventions

Exercise; Breathing Exercises; Stroop Test

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Lung Diseases, Obstructive; Lung Diseases; Respiratory Tract Diseases; Chronic Disease; Disease Attributes; Pathologic Processes; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Motor Activity; Movement; Musculoskeletal Physiological Phenomena; Musculoskeletal and Neural Physiological Phenomena; Mind-Body Therapies; Complementary Therapies; Therapeutics; Exercise Movement Techniques; Physical Therapy Modalities; Neuropsychological Tests; Psychological Tests; Behavioral Disciplines and Activities

Central Study Contacts

Esra Pehlivan

CONTACT

+90216 777 87 77; esra.pehlivan@sbu.edu.tr

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NON RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: DIAGNOSTIC
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Principal Investigator

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: November 20, 2025
• First Posted: December 16, 2025
• Study Start: April 30, 2025
• Primary Completion (Estimated): November 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): November 1, 2026
• Last Updated: April 15, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-04

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

TU (1)