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Short‐term pre‐operative high‐intensity interval training does not improve fitness of colorectal cancer patients
Author(s) -
Boereboom Catherine L.,
Blackwell James E. M.,
Williams John P.,
Phillips Bethan E.,
Lund Jonathan N.
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of medicine and science in sports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.575
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1600-0838
pISSN - 0905-7188
DOI - 10.1111/sms.13460
Subject(s) - medicine , high intensity interval training , cardiorespiratory fitness , interval training , anaerobic exercise , heart rate , physical fitness , physical therapy , colorectal cancer , cardiology , blood pressure , cancer
Background Pre‐operative cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients has been shown to affect post‐operative outcomes. The aim of this study was to test the feasibility of high‐intensity interval training (HIIT) for improving fitness in pre‐operative CRC patients within the 31‐day cancer waiting‐time targets imposed in the UK. Methods Eighteen CRC patients (13 males, mean age: 67 years (range: 52‐77 years) participated in supervised HIIT on cycle ergometers 3 or 4 times each week prior to surgery. Exercise intensity during 5 × 1‐minute HIIT intervals (interspersed with 90‐second recovery) was 100%‐120% maximum wattage achieved at a baseline cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET). CPET before and after HIIT was used to assess CRF. Results Patients completed a mean of eight HIIT sessions (range 6‐14) over 19 days (SD 7). There was no significant increase in VO 2 peak (23.9 ± 7.0 vs 24.2 ± 7.8 mL/kg/min (mean ± SD), P = 0.58) or anaerobic threshold (AT: 14.0 ± 3.4 vs 14.5 ± 4.5 mL/kg/min, P = 0.50) after HIIT. There was a significant reduction in resting systolic blood pressure (152 ± 19 vs 142 ± 19 mm Hg, P = 0.0005) and heart rate at submaximal exercise intensities after HIIT. Conclusions Our pragmatic HIIT exercise protocol did not improve the pre‐operative fitness of CRC patients within the 31‐day window available in the UK to meet cancer surgical waiting‐time targets.