Muscle Capillarization and Sarcopenia

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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Aging is associated with a loss of muscle mass, termed sarcopenia, that reduces mobility, decreases physical function and accelerates progression of other age-related disorders. This study is designed to determine whether increasing skeletal muscle capillarization through aerobic exercise will enhance muscular adaptations to strength training in older adults with sarcopenia.

Detailed Description
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Sarcopenia, or the aging-related loss of muscle mass, affects a large number of older adults. The presence of sarcopenia is associated with physical disability, poor quality of life, and all-cause mortality, in part because sarcopenic adults have low muscle skeletal muscle capillarization and may lack the adequate perfusion needed to maintain muscle mass and function. This study will test the effects of increasing skeletal muscle capillarization through aerobic exercise training on responses to resistance training in older adults. Eligible participants will be randomized to one of two groups, resistance training preceded by aerobic exercise training (AEX-RT), or resistance training followed by aerobic exercise training (RT-AEX). Participants in the AEX-RT group will undergo 3 months of aerobic exercise training to increase skeletal muscle capillarization, followed by 3 months of resistance training. Participants in the RT-AEX group will undergo 3 months of resistance training, followed by 3 months of aerobic exercise training. Before and after the interventions, participants will undergo assessments of muscle size, strength, and capillarization, as well as assessments of physical function.

Official Title
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Increasing Muscle Capillarization to Enhance Responses to Strength Training in Sarcopenia

Conditions
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Sarcopenia

Intervention / Treatment
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* Other: Aerobic exercise training
* Other: Strength training


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Body Mass Index = 18-32.5 kg/m2 Non-smoker Presence of at least moderate sarcopenia (low muscle mass per unit body height) Exclusion Criteria: Diagnosis of diabetes, cancer, pulmonary or renal disease Physical impairment preventing exercise Recent history of exercise training

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 65 Years
Maximum Age: 88 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Treatment
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Crossover Assignment
Interventional Model Description: The study employs 2 interventions: resistance training and aerobic exercise training. One group of participants will undergo resistance training then aerobic exercise training; the other group will undergo aerobic exercise training then resistance training.
Masking: Single


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Aerobic exercise training followed by resistance training<br>Participants in this arm will undergo 3 months of aerobic exercise training, followed by 3 months of strength training | Other: Aerobic exercise training<br>* 3 months of center-based, supervised treadmill exercise<br>Other: Strength training<br>* 3 months of center-based, supervise strength training<br>|
| Active Comparator: Resistance training followed by aerobic exercise training<br>Participants in this arm will undergo 3 months of strength training, followed by 3 months of aerobic exercise training | Other: Aerobic exercise training<br>* 3 months of center-based, supervised treadmill exercise<br>Other: Strength training<br>* 3 months of center-based, supervise strength training<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Skeletal muscle capillarization | Change in the number of capillaries per unit of skeletal muscle tissue | 6 months | 
| Muscle volume | Change in the size of the thigh muscles | 6 months | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Skeletal muscle fiber size | Change in the cross-sectional size of individual thigh skeletal muscle fibers | 6 months | 
| Muscle strength | Change in the strength/force produced by skeletal muscles of the thigh | 6 months | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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muscle, capillary, exercise