Methodological rigor and quality of reporting of clinical trials published with physical activity interventions: A report from the Strengthening the Evidence in Exercise Sciences Initiative (SEES Initiative).

Background: This study addresses the need for improved transparency and reproducibility in randomized clinical trials (RCTs) within the field of physical activity (PA) interventions. Despite efforts to promote these practices, there is limited evidence on the adherence to established reporting and methodological standards in published RCTs. The research, part of the Strengthening the Evidence in Exercise Sciences Initiative (SEES Initiative) in 2020, assessed the methodological standards and reporting quality of RCTs focusing on PA interventions.

Association of statins with peak oxygen consumption in 4,941 adults: A cross-sectional study.

Background And Aims: Cardiovascular disease remains a leading cause of mortality, with statins widely used to reduce its risk. Despite extensive research, the nuanced impact of statin therapy on cardiorespiratory fitness, particularly the reduction in peak oxygen consumption (VO), is still an open question. This study aims to contribute fresh insights to the ongoing discussion, highlighting the unresolved nature of this clinical matter.

Association of Sarcopenia and Oxygen Uptake Efficiency Slope in Male Patients With Heart Failure.

Purpose: Sarcopenia, the loss of muscle mass and function, is a common comorbidity in patients with heart failure (HF). The skeletal muscle modulates the respiratory response during exercise. However, whether ventilatory behavior is affected by sarcopenia is still unknown.

Anabolic-Androgenic Steroids and Exercise Training: Breaking the Myths and Dealing With Better Outcome in Sarcopenia.

Sarcopenia is an emerging clinical condition determined by the reduction in physical function and muscle mass, being a health concern since it impairs quality of life and survival. Exercise training is a well-known approach to improve physical capacities and body composition, hence managing sarcopenia progression and worsening. However, it may be an ineffective treatment for many elderly with exercise-intolerant conditions.

Testosterone Treatment As a Function-Promoting Therapy in Sarcopenia Associated with Aging and Chronic Disease.

Sarcopenia is characterized by loss of muscle strength and physical ability because of aging and/or chronic disease. Supplemental testosterone and other androgenic-anabolic steroids have been investigated as countermeasures to ameliorate the negative consequences of sarcopenia; these trials show dose-related improvements in lean body mass, maximal voluntary strength, stair climbing power, aerobic capacity, hemoglobin, and self-reported function, but less consistent improvements in walking speed. Randomized clinical trials with large cohorts and patient-important outcome measures are needed to determine long-term efficacy and safety of testosterone treatment in improving physical function and reducing physical disability, falls, and fractures in older adults with sarcopenia.

Decreased Native T1 Values and Impaired Myocardial Contractility in Anabolic Steroid Users.

Anabolic androgenic steroid (AAS) abuse leads to myocardial toxicity. Human studies are conflicting about the myocardial fibrosis in AAS users. We evaluated cardiac tissue characterization, left ventricle (LV) function, and cardiac structure by cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR).

Sacubitril/valsartan versus enalapril on exercise capacity in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction: A randomized, double-blind, active-controlled study.

Unlabelled: Sacubitril/valsartan reduces mortality in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) when compared with enalapril. However, it is unknown the effect of both treatments on exercise capacity. We compared sacubitril/valsartan versus enalapril in patients with HFrEF based on peak oxygen consumption (VO) and 6-minute walk test (6-MWT).

Aerobic exercise and inspiratory muscle training increase functional capacity in patients with univentricular physiology after Fontan operation: A randomized controlled trial.

Background: The effect of exercise training and its mechanisms on the functional capacity improvement in Fontan patients (FP) are virtually unknown. This trial evaluated four-month aerobic exercise training and inspiratory muscle training on functional capacity, pulmonary function, and autonomic control in patients after Fontan operation.

Methods: A randomized controlled clinical trial with 42 FP aged 12 to 30 years and, at least, five years of Fontan completion.

Benefits and Risks of Testosterone Treatment in Men with Age-Related Decline in Testosterone.

The substantial increase in life expectancy of men has focused growing attention on quality-of-life issues associated with reproductive aging. Serum total and free testosterone levels in men, after reaching a peak in the second and third decade of life, decline gradually with advancing age. The trajectory of age-related decline is affected by comorbid conditions, adiposity, medications, and genetic factors.

Cachexia, muscle wasting, and frailty in cardiovascular disease.

The last several years have seen increasing interest in understanding cachexia, muscle wasting, and physical frailty across the broad spectrum of patients with cardiovascular illnesses. This interest originally started in the field of heart failure, but has recently been extended to other areas such as atrial fibrillation, coronary artery disease, peripheral artery disease as well as to patients after cardiac surgery or transcatheter aortic valve implantation. Tissue wasting and frailty are prevalent among many of the affected patients.

Muscle mass, muscle strength, and functional capacity in patients with heart failure of Chagas disease and other aetiologies.

Aims: Patients with Chagas disease and heart failure (HF) have a poor prognosis similar to that of patients with ischaemic or dilated cardiomyopathy. However, the impact of body composition and muscle strength changes in these aetiologies is still unknown. We aimed to evaluate these parameters across aetiologies in two distinct cohort studies [TESTOsterone-Heart Failure trial (TESTO-HF; Brazil) and Studies Investigating Co-morbidities Aggravating Heart Failure (SICA-HF; Germany)].

Android to gynoid fat ratio and its association with functional capacity in male patients with heart failure.

Aims: We studied the association between android (A) to gynoid (G) fat ratio and functional capacity (peak VO ) in male patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF).

Methods And Results: We enrolled 118 male patients with HFrEF with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) <40%. Body composition (by using dual x-ray absorptiometry) and peak VO (by cardiopulmonary exercise testing) were measured.

Sympatho-Vagal Imbalance is Associated with Sarcopenia in Male Patients with Heart Failure.

Background: Resting sympathetic hyperactivity and impaired parasympathetic reactivation after exercise have been described in patients with heart failure (HF). However, the association of these autonomic changes in patients with HF and sarcopenia is unknown.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of autonomic modulation on sarcopenia in male patients with HF.

Diminished cholesterol efflux mediated by HDL and coronary artery disease in young male anabolic androgenic steroid users.

Background And Aims: Anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) have been associated with coronary artery disease (CAD). AAS abuse leads to a remarkable decrease in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) plasma concentration, which could be a key factor in the atherosclerotic process. Moreover, not only the concentration of HDL, but also its functionality, plays a pivotal role in CAD.

Retrograde and oscillatory shear rate in young anabolic androgenic steroid users.

Disturbed shear rate (SR), characterized by increased retrograde and oscillatory SR in the brachial artery, is associated with inflammation, atherosclerosis, endothelial dysfunction, and sympathetic hyperactivity. Young subjects do not have disturbed SR; however, elderly subjects do, which seems to be associated with sympathetic hyperactivity. Anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) abuse in young is associated with increased muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA).

Blunted peripheral blood supply and underdeveloped skeletal muscle in Fontan patients: The impact on functional capacity.

Background: Changes in circulatory physiology are common in Fontan patients due to suboptimal cardiac output, which may reduce the peripheral blood flow and impair the skeletal muscle. The objective of this study was to investigate the forearm blood flow (FBF), cross-sectional area (CSA) of the thigh and functional capacity in asymptomatic clinically stable patients undergoing Fontan surgery.

Methods: Thirty Fontan patients and 27 healthy subjects underwent venous occlusion plethysmography, magnetic resonance imaging of the thigh musculature and maximal cardiopulmonary exercise testing.

Neurovascular Response during Exercise and Mental Stress in Anabolic Steroid Users.

Purpose: Increased resting muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) and lower forearm blood flow (FBF) were observed in young men who use anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS). However, the response of MSNA and FBF in AAS users triggered by muscle mechanoreflex and central command has never been tested. In addition, we evaluated the blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) responses during these maneuvers.

Regular physical exercise improves cardiac autonomic and muscle vasodilatory responses to isometric exercise in healthy elderly.

The objective of this study was to evaluate cardiac autonomic control and muscle vasodilation response during isometric exercise in sedentary and physically active older adults. Twenty healthy participants, 10 sedentary and 10 physically active older adults, were evaluated and paired by gender, age, and body mass index. Sympathetic and parasympathetic cardiac activity (spectral and symbolic heart rate analysis) and muscle blood flow (venous occlusion plethysmography) were measured for 10 minutes at rest (baseline) and during 3 minutes of isometric handgrip exercise at 30% of the maximum voluntary contraction (sympathetic excitatory maneuver).

Nutritional status and its effects on muscle wasting in patients with chronic heart failure: insights from Studies Investigating Co-morbidities Aggravating Heart Failure.

Background: Inadequate nutritional status has been linked to poor outcomes in patients with heart failure (HF). Skeletal muscle wasting affects about 20% of ambulatory patients with HF. The impact of nutritional intake and appetite on skeletal muscle wasting has not been investigated so far.

Muscle wasting in heart failure : The role of nutrition.

Muscle wasting and malnutrition are common complications in patients with advanced heart failure (HF); however, both remain underdiagnosed and undertreated although they both play relevant roles in the progression of HF. The risk of muscle wasting in patients with HF increases in those patients with malnutrition or at risk of malnutrition. Muscle wasting and malnutrition are thought to be positively influenced by adequate therapeutic interventions such as physical activity and nutritional support.

Neuromuscular electrical stimulation for muscle wasting in heart failure patients.

Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) seems to be safe and beneficial in improvement in functional capacity, muscle strength, and quality of life when compared with conventional aerobic exercise, while the change in muscle fiber composition and muscle size was conflicting in patients with heart failure (HF). Moreover, NMES studies seem to have beneficial effects on pro-inflammatory cytokine, oxidative enzyme activity, and protein anabolic and catabolic metabolism that are the key molecular mechanism of muscle wasting in patients with HF. We review specific issues related to the effects of NMES on muscle wasting in patients with HF, whether NMES seems to be an alternative exercise modality preventing or improving in muscle wasting for HF patients who are unable or unwilling to engage in conventional exercise training; however no established strategies currently exist to focus on the patients with HF accompanied by muscle wasting.