Circuit Training With and Without Upper and Lower Limb Resistance Training in Post-CABG Patients

NCT07484568 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: S24C14G36005 Aaima
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 60
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study aims to evaluate the contrasting effects of circuit training with and without upper and lower limb resistance training on paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea, functional capacity and endurance on post-CABG patients.

Conditions

Dyspnea, Paroxysmal

Keywords

Post-CABG; PND; Circuit Training; Resistance Training; Cardiac Rehabilitaion

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (5)

• Modified Medical Research Council (mMRC)

  The mMRC Dyspnea Scale is a validated tool to assess the severity of dyspnea among the patients with pulmonary complications. This scale was utilized to quantify the symptoms of paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea among the participants in the study, offering an insight to the effectiveness of exercise interventions on the respiratory symptoms

  First day

• 1-Repetition Maximum (1-RM)

  1-RM is a useful tool in the studies in the studies evaluating the effectiveness of strength training such as those addressing upper and lower limb resistance training. This test specifies the maximum weight that a subject can lift in a single repetition, providing a precise, quantitative baseline evaluation of dynamic strength. It can be used as a solid baseline for tracking and comparing strength changes during intervention. Thus, 1-RM is a practical and objective tool in rehabilitation research. It allows the researchers to analyze the effectiveness of certain treatments and monitor functional changes over the course of treatment or regimen.

  First day

• Modified Borg Scale (BORG CR-10):

  Modified Borg Dyspnea Scale is a highly validated subjective tool, to assess rate of perceived exertion during exercise to monitor exercise intensity and tailor to individual patient in cardiac rehabilitation settings. It is safe and cost-effective. It has a rating of 0-10 with zero representing (no breathlessness) and 10 (maximal exertion). It is a subjective measure of how hard the body is pushing against exertion during exercise. Specially designed for the assessment of cardiac endurance

  First day

• 6-Minute Walk Test 6-MWT:

  It is a reliable tool for assessing functional capacity among the patient population that present with underlying cardiovascular and pulmonary conditions. We used this tool in the assessment of functional capacity among the patients that participated in the study. This test specifically measures the distance covered in 6 minutes. In this test the participant walks along a flat straight pathway (usually 30-meter indoor corridors) in six minutes at their own pace. The maximum distance covered in 6 minutes documented the functional capacity among the participants under study.

  First day

• Incremental Shuttle Walk Test (ISWT)

  Incremental Shuttle Walk Test (ISWT) is a highly reliable and valid tool for the assessment of cardiac endurance as a distinct outcome separately from overall functional capacity. It measures cardiac endurance under progressively increasing workloads within the safe limits. We used this tool to assess the cardiopulmonary endurance and baseline functional status in CABG population and to measure the improvements post-intervention outcomes. The test is safe, cost-effective and convenient to implement in all the clinical settings requiring little equipment and simultaneously assesses physiological responses such as heart-rate HR, oxygen saturation SPO2, and blood pressure in accordance with the subjective effort.

  First day

Study Arms (2)

Group A: Circuit Training with upper and lower limb Resistance Training

EXPERIMENTAL

A series of exercises in a circuit format with Resistance Training: for upper and lower limbs (30-40% of 1-RM)

Other: Circuit Training with upper and lower limb Resistance Training

Group B: Circuit Training only

EXPERIMENTAL

Exercises in circuit format (30-40 minutes)

Other: Circuit Training Exercises

Interventions

Circuit Training with upper and lower limb Resistance Training OTHER

A series of exercises in a circuit format, with 1 minute of exercise followed by 30 seconds of rest. The circuit was repeated 2-3 times, with a 2-minute break between circuits along with upper and lower limb Resistance exercises (30-40% of 1-RM) using weights and therapeutic bands

Group A: Circuit Training with upper and lower limb Resistance Training

Circuit Training Exercises OTHER

A series of exercises in a circuit format, with 1 minute of exercise followed by 30 seconds of rest. The circuit was repeated 2-3 times, with a 2-minute break between circuits.

Group B: Circuit Training only

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 35 Years - 65 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Adult CABG surgery candidates aged between 35 and 65 years who underwent uncomplicated CABG surgery within past 3-6 months.
• No history of pre-existing pulmonary disease.
• Clinically stable cardiac status and approval for participation in phase-II cardiac rehabilitation from the cardiac surgeon.
• Patients that presented with the symptoms of mild to moderate levels of paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea (PND). (38)
• Willingness and availability to participate in the phase-II cardiac rehabilitation program for the study duration.
• Physical ability to perform both upper and lower limb strength training exercise.
• Absence of pre-existing severe orthopedic limitations that could interfere with the exercise performance.

You may not qualify if:

• Uncontrolled hypertension, cardiac arrhythmias or any unstable cardiovascular complication that was an absolute contraindication to participate in clinical exercise program.
• Severe pre-existing pulmonary conditions such as COPD or Asthma that could interfere with exercise capacity.
• Severe orthopedic limitations such as arthritis, recent fractures and sternal site infections post-surgery.
• Neurological complications, including stroke, severe neuropathy, balance and coordination abnormalities that could impede physical performance.
• Cognitive impairments that may possibly affect the ability to understand and follow the exercise protocols.
• Participation in some other structured rehabilitation program within the past month.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Riphah International University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Punjab Institute of Cardiology

Lahore, Punjab Province, 54000, Pakistan

Location

Related Links

• Effects of resistance exercise applied early after coronary artery bypass grafting: a randomized controlled trial
• Improvement in cardiac dysfunction with a novel circuit training method combining simultaneous aerobic-resistance exercises. A randomized trial
• Causes of dyspnea after cardiac surgery

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Dyspnea, Paroxysmal

Interventions

Circuit-Based Exercise

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Dyspnea; Respiration Disorders; Respiratory Tract Diseases; Heart Failure; Heart Diseases; Cardiovascular Diseases; Signs and Symptoms, Respiratory; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Physical Conditioning, Human; Exercise; Motor Activity; Movement; Musculoskeletal Physiological Phenomena; Musculoskeletal and Neural Physiological Phenomena

Study Officials

• Qurat ul Ain, MS

  Riphah International University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: March 16, 2026
• First Posted: March 20, 2026
• Study Start: July 5, 2025
• Primary Completion: August 20, 2025
• Study Completion: December 20, 2025
• Last Updated: March 20, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-03

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

PA (1)