The Breath project (Project Number: 2022-1-PL01-KA220-HED-000089283) has been Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author or authors only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the Foundation for the Development of the Education System. Neither the European Union nor the entity providing the grant can be held responsible for them.

High Intensity Interval Training is effective in increasing exercise endurance and is well tolerated by adults with cystic fibrosis

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Institution
Curtin University
Institution Typology
Hospital, Rehabilitation Center
Country
Australia
Description
Intervention design: Moderate intensity aerobic exercise. Each training session involved a 2 min “warm-up”, followed by a 30 s “work” phase and a 30 s “rest” period, repeated six times. The work and rest periods were followed by a 2-minute cool-down period. The total training time per session was therefore 10 minutes. Each session was supervised by a physiotherapist trained in treating people with cystic fibrosis. People involved: Fourteen participants. High-intensity interval training (HIIT), n=7 and control group, n=7 Barriers identified: Excluding self-reported physical function (CFQ-R), the effects of HIIT on other components of HRQoL and exercise self-efficacy, feelings of anxiety and depression and enjoyment of exercise are uncertain. However, there were no adverse events. Sustainability: Eight weeks of low-volume HIIT (i.e. 30 minutes/week) produced gains in exercise capacity and self-reported physical function and was well tolerated by people with CF. Transferability: The research team opted for an intervention duration of eight weeks, as this is the duration of a “normal” pulmonary rehabilitation program. Given the lack of improvement in a number of secondary outcomes, an extension of three weeks (12 weeks in total) could have been beneficial.
Disease
Cystic Fibrosis
Activity level
Medium
Activity Typology
Rehabilitation section-based activities, Home-based activities
Motivation Tools
Not available
Innovation
To optimize results in people with cystic fibrosis (CF), guidelines recommend 30 to 60 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise on most days. The accumulation of this volume of exercise makes an important contribution to the substantial treatment burden associated with CF. The main aim of this study was to investigate the effects of low-volume high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on exercise capacity in people with CF.
Evaluation System
Before and after the intervention period, the participants had their time to symptom limitation (Tlim) measured during a cycle ergometry test with a constant work rate (primary outcome), their maximum work rate (Wmax) measured during a ramp cycle ergometry test and their health-related quality of life (HRQoL).







Compared to the control group, participants in the experimental group showed a greater magnitude of change in Tlim, Wmax (p = 0.017 for both) and the physical function domain of HRQoL (p = 0.03). No other differences were demonstrated between the groups. Four participants reported mild post-exercise muscle pain on a single occasion. Overall, participants attended 93% of all HIIT sessions.
Assessment
30 min of HIIT per week for eight weeks was superior to usual care for improving exercise capacity and self-reported physical function in this small group of people with CF.
References
Sawyer, A., Cavalheri, V., Jenkins, S., Wood, J., Cecins, N., Bear, N., ... & Hill, K. (2020). High-intensity interval training is effective at increasing exercise endurance capacity and is well tolerated by adults with cystic fibrosis. Journal of clinical medicine, 9(10), 3098. doi.org/10.3390/jcm9103098" target="_blank">doi.org/10.3390/jcm9103098" target="_blank">doi.org/10.3390/jcm9103098" target="_blank">doi.org/10.3390/jcm9103098
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Victoria Monzón, Universidad de Las Palmas - Spain (ES)
El artículo destaca que el HIIT es una opción eficaz y bien tolerada para mejorar la resistencia en adultos con fibrosis quística. Es una alternativa interesante desde la fisioterapia, ya que optimiza resultados en menos tiempo y con buena adherencia

Ariadna María Santana Peña, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria - Spain (ES)
Considero que es un artículo muy interesante y con una gran relevancia no solo para los profesionales que se dedican a este campo, si no para el resto de profesionales e incluso para los pacientes.

Cláudia Ferreira, ULSSM - Portugal (PT)
Very useful research. It would be interesting to evaluate a similiar intervention in other respiratory pathologies.

Bruno Ferreira, ESS - IPS - Portugal (PT)
Very interesting. Future research could explore the long-term sustainability of these benefits and assess the impact on other health-related quality of life components.

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Ricardo Sousa Mestre, Escola Superior de Saúde Atlântica - Portugal (PT)
Very helpful and interesting article.

wiktoriaadamkiewicz Adamkiewicz, Uniwersytet Opolski - Poland (PL)
bardzo pomocny i ciekawy artykul.

Gabi Plaza, Polska - Poland (PL)
Swietny artykul, przydatna wiedza:)

Justyna G, Uniwersytet opolski - Poland (PL)
Super inicjatywa i pomocna :)

Michał Janek Jankowski , Mistrzowie - Poland (PL)
Very interesting article.