Neuromuscular Fatigue in Chronic Obstructive Pulonary Disease — NEUROTIGUE  

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Clinical Trial

Official title: Towards a Better Understanding of Neuromuscular Alterations and Fatigue in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

Status Completed

Clinical Trial Summary

Fatigue is a prevalent symptom in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) that limits patients in their daily living activities. It is now well established that COPD patients may have altered neuromuscular functions compared to healthy individuals. However, the different studies conducted on muscle fatigue in COPD have been done independently of any cognitive solicitation, yet present in most of daily living activities. Therefore, the aim of this research is to evaluate the impact of the disease on neuromuscular fatigue during dual-task situation (simultaneous accomplishment of a muscle contraction and a cognitive task). A better understanding of fatigue in COPD will promote the development of new perspectives in patient management.

The hypothesis is that COPD patients will exhibit increased fatigue level (compared to healthy subjects), particularly during dual-task situation. It is assumed that the higher negative effect associated with the dual-task will be related to different neurophysiological mechanisms (i.e., neuromuscular fatigue, autonomic nervous system activity, mental fatigue).

Clinical Trial Description

This study will include three experimental sessions for both COPD patients and healthy participants. These experimental sessions will be performed on three separate days. Each session will last between 1.5 and 2 hours.

The first session will correspond to a familiarization session with the different tests that will be performed during the two next sessions. During this first session, different functional tests will be also performed : 1-minute sit-to-stand tests and postural tests, with and without a concomitant cognitive task.

The second and third sessions will correspond to experimental sessions during which the participants will accomplish a fatiguing task in single or dual-task situation (randomized order). The cognitive task will be a memory cognitive task, called n-back task. The fatiguing tasks will involve submaximal isometric contractions of the knee extensors performed until task failure. The neuromuscular fatigue will be evaluated regularly during the fatiguing tasks (i.e. about each minute) using the magnetic stimulation of the femoral nerve in order to assess to central and peripheral determinants of the neuromuscular fatigue. Moreover, the autonomic nervous system activity (via cardiac recordings), perceived exertion and cognitive performance (in dual-task situation) will be continuously recorded during the fatiguing tasks. Before and after each fatiguing tasks, several questionnaires will be completed (i.e. mood, motivation, subjective workload) in order to evaluate the psychological determinants of performance. ;

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
• Fatigue
• Lung Diseases
• Lung Diseases, Obstructive
• Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive

• NCT number: NCT04028973
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: Centre Hospitalier Intercommunal de Toulon La Seyne sur Mer
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: September 16, 2020
• Completion date: February 17, 2023