Diaphragm Function and Diver Endurance

June 11, 2024 updated by: Duke University

This project will test the following hypotheses:

  1. Training of the inspiratory muscles increases underwater endurance and reduces hypercapnia in divers.
  2. Inspiratory muscle training while breathing low concentration carbon monoxide (200 ppm) for 30 minutes daily improves diaphragm performance to a greater degree than the same training breathing air.
  3. Inspiratory muscle training increases hypercapnia ventilatory response (gain) in those individuals with a low gain.
  4. Variability in oxygen (O2) and carbon dioxide (CO2) permeability of erythrocyte membranes is a determining factor in underwater exercise performance.

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 aims of this project are to: (1) test a method that could increase personal endurance and reduce excessive rise in blood carbon dioxide during underwater exercise in divers; and (2) understand the mechanisms by which red blood cells transport oxygen and carbon dioxide and their possible effects on exercise capacity. During underwater exercise, personal endurance capacity and elevated blood PCO2 are key parameters that affect a diver's safety and performance. Unlike exercise on dry land, hypercapnia often occurs during dives and can impair cognitive function and predispose the diver to central nervous system (CNS) oxygen toxicity and convulsions underwater. Some people intrinsically have low ventilatory chemosensitivity, and are more likely to develop hypercapnia during a dive. Lack of stamina may also be a mission-critical variable, and both endurance and the ability to control blood carbon dioxide depend on the respiratory muscle (mainly diaphragm) function, for which endurance capacity is related to mitochondrial number. Previous studies from our lab have demonstrated increased mitochondrial biogenesis with training while breathing a low, sub-toxic (200 ppm) level of carbon monoxide. In this study we will test the effect of daily respiratory muscle training with and without added carbon monoxide on respiratory muscle power, diaphragm thickness, respiratory muscle endurance and exercise endurance during a subsequent dive to 50 feet of sea water. Arterial PCO2 and lactic acid levels will be measured during exercise tests before and after training. Transport of O2 and CO2 through erythrocyte cell membranes occurs mostly through channels. Erythrocytes from volunteers in this study will be tested for O2 and CO2 permeability, and to correlate gas transport efficiency with exercise performance and blood PCO2.

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.
45

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

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

  • United States
    • North Carolina
      • Durham, North Carolina, United States, 27710
        • Duke University Medical Center

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

14 years to 41 years (Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Normal volunteers
  • Non-smokers
  • Range of hypercapnic ventilatory responses
  • VO2peak ≥35 mL.kg-1.min-1 (males)
  • ≥30 mL.kg-1.min-1 (females)

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Pregnancy
  • Cardiorespiratory disease, including hypertension
  • Neuromuscular disease
  • Anemia
  • Hemoglobinopathy, including sickle cell disease and trait

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: Basic Science
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Triple

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: Respiratory Muscle Training Breathing Low Dose Carbon Monoxide
Carbon monoxide 200 ppm in air breathing during daily 30 minute inspiratory loading training sessions. Subjects will breathe the experimental gas through a mouthpiece with nose-clip in place.
Other: Carbon monoxide 200 ppm in air
Low dose carbon monoxide
Sham Comparator: Respiratory Muscle Training Breathing Air
Air breathing during daily 30 minute inspiratory loading training sessions. Subjects will breathe air through a mouthpiece with nose-clip in place.
Other: Carbon monoxide 200 ppm in air
Low dose carbon monoxide

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
Underwater endurance change
Time Frame: Baseline, 6 weeks
Endurance during continuous underwater exercise at a depth of 50 ft below the surface
Baseline, 6 weeks
Arterial PCO2 change
Time Frame: Baseline, 6 weeks
Blood gases during and at end of exercise
Baseline, 6 weeks
Ventilatory chemosensitivity change
Time Frame: Baseline, 6 weeks
Hypercapnic ventilatory response (VE.min-1.mmHg)
Baseline, 6 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
Erythrocyte gas channel analysis
Time Frame: Baseline
Stopped-flow analysis of O2 offloading from Hb of (a) intact RBCs, (b) Hb in hemolysate
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.
Duke University

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
Case Western Reserve University

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: Richard E Moon, MD, Duke University

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.
April 14, 2022

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.
April 30, 2024

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 30, 2024

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).
December 17, 2020

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.
December 17, 2020

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.
December 22, 2020

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

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.
June 13, 2024

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.
June 11, 2024

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.
March 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

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.
  • Pro00107090

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

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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