Trial of Aerobic Exercise Training in Stroke Survivors

Stroke Clinical Trial

Official title: Aging, Inflammation and Exercise in Chronic Stroke

Status Completed

Clinical Trial Summary

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of treadmill training on inflammation in the skeletal muscle and adipose tissue, insulin action in the skeletal muscle, and whole body glucose metabolism in stroke survivors. The fundamental hypothesis of this study is that key inflammatory markers in adipose tissue and skeletal muscle are abnormal, skeletal muscle insulin signaling is impaired, and systemic insulin sensitivity is reduced in hemiparetic stroke patients and that these factors are modifiable and improved by exercise training in stroke patients.

Clinical Trial Description

Many stroke survivors are sedentary and are at risk for the development of diabetes. We will study the interactions of adipose tissue and the paretic and non-paretic muscle inflammation, insulin signaling and action in hemiparetic stroke patients and the ability to employ exercise training to reverse these abnormalities in this ethnically diverse population. Participants aged 40-75 years with chronic stroke will be randomized to treadmill training versus stretch control group using a one-two-one blocked randomization on race (black vs. white), sex (male vs. female), and glucose tolerance status (normal vs. impaired and type 2 diabetes).

Stroke occurs in over 780,000 persons each year in the U.S., the vast majority reported in persons older than 55 years of age. Following stroke, patients remain at continued high risk for recurrent stroke. Inflammatory processes lead to cardiovascular events/stroke and contribute to disease risk progression by impacting insulin resistance and the development of type 2 diabetes. Interventions that reduce inflammation and improve insulin sensitivity have important clinical implications, especially in the stroke population.

Task-oriented treadmill training is utilized to improve cardiovascular fitness and functional mobility in hemiparetic stroke patients. Additionally, preliminary data indicates that progressive treadmill training in this population improves glucose tolerance. ;

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Insulin Resistance
• Sedentary Lifestyle
• Stroke

• NCT number: NCT00891514
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: Baltimore VA Medical Center
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: September 1, 2009
• Completion date: July 31, 2018