Fitness and Longevity in Exercise (FLEX)

December 2, 2022 updated by: KrisAnn Oursler, University of Maryland, Baltimore
The study objective was to determine the safety and efficacy of aerobic exercise in older HIV-infected men in a randomized trial comparing different levels of exercise intensity.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

The study was a randomized trial of moderate-intensity versus high-intensity aerobic exercise (AEX) training in older HIV-infected adults. Funding was provided by K23 AG024896 (PI, Oursler) and the UMB Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center P60 AG12583 (PI, Goldberg).

The central hypothesis was that high-intensity AEX training is well-tolerated and significantly increases aerobic capacity in older HIV-infected adults.

The study met its objectives:

  1. Scientific AIMS met:

    1. High-intensity AEX training significantly increases aerobic capacity
    2. Both moderate-intensity and high-intensity AEX training improve ambulatory function and endurance.
    3. Activity of skeletal muscle oxidative enzymes is reduced, and associated with aerobic capacity.

  2. Feasibility Objectives met:

    1. AEX training is safe and well-tolerated in older HIV-infected adults.
    2. Skeletal muscle punch biopsy is safe and well-tolerated in older HIV-infected adults.
    3. Preliminary data was collected on plasma biomarkers of inflammation.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
31

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

50 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • HIV+
  • stable combination antiretroviral therapy (cART)

Exclusion Criteria:

  • AIDS defining conditions in the prior six months
  • Conditions that increase the risk of exercise training per the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM)

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Other
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Double

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Moderate-intensity aerobic exercise
In the moderate-intensity aerobic exercise group, participants performed a self-paced 1-mile walk (3-5 METs) on an indoor track in the same exercise center as the high-intensity exercise group. Initial sessions lasted 20-30 minutes and were increased weekly to 45 minutes in parallel to the duration of the high-intensity exercise group.
Behavioral: Exercise training
Participants attended center-based exercise sessions three times per week at the research exercise training facility located at the Baltimore VA Medical Center. All exercise training was performed under the supervision of research exercise physiologists. Heart rate (HR) was measured continuously during each session using a Polar HR watch and chest strap allowing for assessment and maintenance of treatment fidelity. Exercise logs included details on exercise type, duration, time in target heart rate zone, blood pressure and perceived intensity during each training session.
Experimental: High-intensity aerobic exercise
In the high-intensity aerobic exercise group, exercise training was performed on a motorized treadmill with occasional substitution with the elliptical machine as needed for joint pain. Target heart rate was based on the baseline treadmill test and was calculated as percentage of the heart rate reserve (HRR=maximal HR-resting HR). Initially, participants trained for 20-30 minutes at 50-60% of HRR. Duration and intensity was increased by 10% weekly so that within 5-7 weeks the aerobic exercise sessions lasted 30-45 minutes at 70-85% of HRR and at the end of the 16 weeks lasted 40-45 minutes at 75-90% of HRR.
Behavioral: Exercise training
Participants attended center-based exercise sessions three times per week at the research exercise training facility located at the Baltimore VA Medical Center. All exercise training was performed under the supervision of research exercise physiologists. Heart rate (HR) was measured continuously during each session using a Polar HR watch and chest strap allowing for assessment and maintenance of treatment fidelity. Exercise logs included details on exercise type, duration, time in target heart rate zone, blood pressure and perceived intensity during each training session.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change from baseline Cardiorespiratory Fitness at 16 weeks
Time Frame: 16-weeks
Cardiorespiratory Fitness measured by VO2peak
16-weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change from baseline Six-minute walk distance at 16 weeks
Time Frame: 16-weeks
Distance walked at normal pace in 6 minutes
16-weeks
Change from baseline body composition at 16 weeks
Time Frame: 16-weeks
body composition measured as total and regional lean tissue and fat mass (DXA)
16-weeks
Change from baseline exercise endurance at 16 weeks
Time Frame: 16-weeks
exercise endurance measured as time on treadmill during modified Bruce protocol
16-weeks

Other Outcome Measures

Other Outcome Measures

For clinical trials, a planned measurement described in the protocol that is used to determine the effect of an intervention/treatment on participants. For observational studies, a measurement or observation that is used to describe patterns of diseases or traits, or associations with exposures, risk factors, or treatment. Types of outcome measures include primary outcome measure and secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
skeletal muscle oxidative function
Time Frame: baseline
activity of enzymes in oxidative function from muscle biopsy
baseline

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
University of Maryland, Baltimore

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Krisann Oursler, MD, University of Maryland, Baltimore

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
July 19, 2007

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
October 29, 2010

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
April 23, 2012

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
January 4, 2018

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
January 11, 2018

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
January 16, 2018

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
December 6, 2022

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
December 2, 2022

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
December 1, 2022

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • HP-00042601

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

No

IPD Plan Description

Data, which include PHI, are available from the University of Maryland School of Medicine Institutional Review Board for researchers who meet the criteria for access to confidential data.

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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