T Neuendorf, R Haase, S Schroeder, M Schumann, N Nitzsche
Journal: Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer 2023;31(12):643
PMID: 37851104
Exercise has been shown to have various benefits during and after cancer treatment. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) has been shown to improve cardiorespiratory fitness and quality of life in adults with chronic diseases. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the potential benefits of HIIT compared to moderate intensity continuous training (MICT) for functional performance in cancer patients. 31 randomised controlled trials (1555 patients) were included in the review and 8 RCTs (268 patients) in the meta-analysis on the effect of HIIT compared to MICT on relative peak oxygen uptake (rVO2peak). Both, functional performance, measured as 6-minute walking test and mobility, and rVO2peak showed significantly better improvements with HIIT compared to MICT. The authors conclude that HIIT appears to be superior to MICT to improve functional performance in cancer patients but that there is not enough information regarding the ideal frequency, duration, and intensity of the HIIT regime.
INTRODUCTION
High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is an appropriate training modality to improve endurance and therefore contributes to physical performance. This review investigates the effect of HIIT on functional performance in cancer patients. We reviewed the relative peak oxygen uptake (relV̇O) and meta-analytical compared HIIT with moderate intensity continuous training (MICT). Furthermore, we took various training parameters under consideration.
METHODS
A systematic literature search was conducted in Scopus, PubMed, and Cochrane Library databases. For the review, we included randomized controlled trials containing HIIT with cancer patients. From this, we filtered interventions with additional MICT for the meta-analysis. Outcomes of interest were various functional performance assessments and V̇O.
RESULTS
The research yielded 584 records which fit the inclusion criteria, of which 31 studies with n=1555 patients (57.4±8.6 years) could be included in the overall review and 8 studies in the meta-analysis (n=268, 59.11±5.11 years) regarding relV̇O. Different functional outcomes were found, of which walking distance (+8.63±6.91% meters in 6-min walk test) and mobility (+2.7cm in sit and reach test) improved significantly due to HIIT. In terms of relV̇O, the performance of cancer patients was improved by HIIT (10.68±6.48%) and MICT (7.4±4.29%). HIIT can be favored to increase relV̇O (SMD 0.37; 95% CI 0.09-0.65; I=0%; p=0.009). Effect sizes for relV̇O improvements correlate moderately with total training volume (Spearman's ρ=0.49; p=0.03), whereas percentage increases do not (Spearman's ρ=0.24; p=0.14).
CONCLUSION
Functional and physical outcomes were positively altered by different HIIT protocols and forms of implementation, whereas a tendency toward more effectiveness of HIIT vs. MICT was found for relV̇O. Future studies should include functional parameters more often, to finally allow a comparison between both training protocols in this regard.
© 2023. The Author(s).
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