NCT01213706

Effect of Whole Body Periodic Acceleration on Airway Endothelial Function

Effect of Whole Body Periodic Acceleration on Airway Endothelial Function in Healthy Smokers, Non-smokers and Asthmatics

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 45 (actual)
• Sponsor: University of Miami · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 20 Years – 65 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

In the present proposal the investigators wish to assess the effect of a single session with the device known as Exer-Rest® which applies Whole Body Periodic Acceleration (WBPA) on baseline airway blood flow (Qaw) and in Qaw variation, in current smokers, glucocorticoid-naïve asthmatics, and age-matched healthy never-smokers, with the expectation that the treatment will transiently increase the Qaw, and to a greater extent in the current smokers and patients with asthma who have endothelial dysfunction.

Detailed description

Endothelial shear stress activates nitric oxide synthase (NOS), leading to endothelium-dependent vasodilation. This can be accomplished through exercise or with a device known as Exer-Rest® which applies Whole Body Periodic Acceleration (WBPA) that is also called pGz. WBPA produces systemic vasodilation, by exerting shear stress on the vascular endothelium, activating endothelial NOS and releasing NO in animal models and human subjects. Cigarette smoking is associated with attenuated vascular relaxation responses in the systemic circulation. Patients with asthma also exhibit endothelial dysfunction in the airway. In this study the investigators wish to assess the effect of a single pGz session on baseline Qaw and delta Qaw in current smokers, glucocorticoid-naïve asthmatics, and age-matched healthy never-smokers to test if this treatment will increase the vascular relaxation responses.

Conditions

• Healthy
• Smokers
• Asthma

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DEVICE	Whole Body Periodic Acceleration (WBPA)	Subjects will undergo to the Whole Body Periodic Acceleration platform for treatment (shaking period) for 45 min.
DEVICE	Sham WBPA	The subjects will rest for 45 minutes in the Whole Body Periodic Acceleration (WBPA) platform without movement as a control challenge.

Timeline

• Start date: 2009-10-01
• Primary completion: 2011-01-01
• Completion: 2011-05-01
• First posted: 2010-10-04
• Last updated: 2016-08-10
• Results posted: 2014-09-12

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States