The Influence of Different Types of Physical Exercise on Immunosenescence in Elderly Persons

The Influence of Different Types of Physical Exercise on Immunosenescence in Elderly Persons - Senior Project Intensive Training (SPRINT)

This study aims to identify the mechanisms by which physical exercise can counter inflammation and improve immune function in older persons. These mechanisms will be investigated to develop exercise-based/derived strategies to improve recovery of older patients suffering from immunosenescence and/or immune suppression.

In this randomized controlled trial, the effects of resistance exercise (RE) on inflammation and chronic low-grade inflammation (CLIP) will be investigated.

The investigators expect that exercise-induced changes in immunosenescence will be reflected by changes in the various domains of interest: 1) the expression of immunosenescence-related genes in PMBC, in circulating markers of inflammation and in PMBC behaviour following LPS stimulation, 2) the proportion of circulating PMBC showing surface and/or intracellular markers for cell senescence, and 3) markers reflecting alterations at the level of the extracellular matrix.

Additionally, the investigators want to verify whether 1) resistance exercise improves inflammation and immunosenescence in skin tissue, and 2) resistance exercise improves the stress response in skin tissue after an in-vivo inflammatory challenge by saline injection.

The results of this project will allow us to provide new insights in the complex interaction between physical exercise and immunosenescence as well as to present evidence-based guidelines for exercise in elderly persons to counter CLIP

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Healthy Aged Volunteers
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Intensive Strength Training (IST); Other: Strength Endurance Training (SET); Other: Flexibility Training (FT)

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Anticipated): 300
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Ivan Bautmans, PhD; Phone Number: +3224774207; Email: ivan.bautmans@vub.be

Study Locations

• Belgium
  • Brussels
    • Jette, Brussels, Belgium, 1090
      • Recruiting
      • Vrije Universiteit Brussel
      • Contact: Ivan Bautmans, PhD; Phone Number: +3224774207; Email: ivan.bautmans@vub.be

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 65 years and older (Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Aged people (male or female) living independently in the community;
• Aged ≥65yrs.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Performing currently or within the past six months on a regular basis physical exercise at higher intensities than habitual daily activity (e.g. fitness classes, strengthening exercises, cycling club);
• Presenting contra-indications for any of the exercise interventions;
• Cognitive impairment (unable to understand or execute the test/exercise instructions due to cognitive impairment (MMSE<24/30));
• Presenting physical disability;
• Using anti-inflammatory and/or immunosuppressive medication
• Presenting an acute inflammatory condition (CRP >10mg/L)

Exclusion Criteria for dermatology part:

• use of medications that cannot be temporarily interrupted for this study:

  • medication that suppresses allergic reaction,
  • Anticoagulation,
  • Treatment with cortisone creams, calcineurin inhibitor creams (Elidel, Protopic) within 7 days before the first visit,
  • Treatment with the following medication within 5 half-lives for the first visit: systemic immunosuppressive / immunomodulating medications (e.g. methotrexate (Ledertrexat), cyclosporine (Neoral), azathioprine (Imuran), mycomofetil phenolate (Cellcept)), Cortisone tablets (eg Medrol) (except use of cortisone in the form of nasal spray, puffer, eye drops), Targeted biological treatment (monoclonal antibodies or inhibitors, eg Dupixent),
• undergoing or have undergone allergen-specific immunotherapy,
• participating in another interventional clinical study for atopic dermatitis,
• showing inflammatory skin diseases (e.g. atopic eczema, psoriasis).

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Basic Science
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Intensive strength training (IST)	Other: Intensive Strength Training (IST)
Experimental: Strength Endurance training (SET)	Other: Strength Endurance Training (SET)
Other: Flexibility training (FT)	Other: Flexibility Training (FT)

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Peripheral blood of older adults will be investigated by qPCR to reveal changes in the inflammatory profile	The primary objective is to investigate the effects of strength training on inflammation- and immunosenescence-related genes in peripheral blood mononuclear cells	Change from Baseline inflammatory profile at 6 weeks
Peripheral blood of older adults will be investigated by qPCR to reveal changes in the inflammatory profile	The primary objective is to investigate the effects of strength training on inflammation- and immunosenescence-related genes in peripheral blood mononuclear cells	Change from Baseline inflammatory profile at 3 months
Peripheral blood of older adults will be investigated by qPCR to reveal changes in the inflammatory profile	The primary objective is to investigate the effects of strength training on inflammation- and immunosenescence-related genes in peripheral blood mononuclear cells	Change from Baseline inflammatory profile at 6 months
Peripheral blood of older adults will be investigated by qPCR to reveal changes in the inflammatory profile	The primary objective is to investigate the effects of strength training on inflammation- and immunosenescence-related genes in peripheral blood mononuclear cells	Change from Baseline inflammatory profile at 9 months
Peripheral blood of older adults will be investigated by qPCR to reveal changes in the inflammatory profile	The primary objective is to investigate the effects of strength training on inflammation- and immunosenescence-related genes in peripheral blood mononuclear cells	Change from Baseline inflammatory profile at 12 months

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Vrije Universiteit Brussel

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): December 1, 2011
• Primary Completion (Anticipated): December 1, 2023
• Study Completion (Anticipated): December 1, 2024

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: July 3, 2020
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 26, 2020
• First Posted (Actual): September 1, 2020

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): January 26, 2022
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 10, 2022
• Last Verified: January 1, 2022

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Inflammation; Exercises; Resistance exercise; Aged people; Flexibility training
• Other Study ID Numbers: FRIA_SPRINT_1