An interventional study of Ischemic conditioning group and Sham group in Parkinson Disease, sponsored by Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein. Not yet recruiting. Open to participants aged 40 Years to 90 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-11-06.
Sponsored by Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
Ischemic conditioning (IC) is a promising therapy that can mimic the physiological effects of physical exercise. IC consists of using a cuff to measure blood pressure and calibrate 200 mmHg on the upper or lower limb. Thus, at alternating intervals of 5 minutes, ischemia or reperfusion occurs, depending on whether the cuff is inflated or deflated. IC induces changes in spinal cord excitability for the last reflex reactions of recruited motoneurons with improved balance control in healthy young people and improved learning in the elderly. The objective of the present study is to evaluate the chronic effect of IC on the cognitive performance of patients with Parkinson's disease. Furthermore, the investigators will evaluate secondary outcomes such as the motor function, mobility, quality of life, and immunological responses.
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that causes a variety of motor and non-motor symptoms. Typically, patients with PD suffer from disabilities and secondary complications even when the disease is optimally treated, and many patients still have sedentary lifestyles, which in turn result in higher rates of mortality and comorbidity. Physical activity is an essential element in maintaining daily functional capabilities and quality of life. However, patients with PD have motor and non-motor deficits that can prevent or limit physical exercise, such as running or resistance exercise. Ischemic conditioning (IC) is a promising therapy that can mimic the physiological effects of physical exercise. IC consists of using a cuff to measure blood pressure, calibrated between 180 and 200 mmHg on the upper or lower limb. Thus, at alternating intervals of 5 minutes, ischemia or reperfusion occurs, depending on whether the cuff is inflated or deflated. IC induces changes in spinal cord excitability for the last reflex reactions of recruited motoneurons with improved balance control in healthy young people and improved learning in the elderly. Recently, IC has been shown to improve cognitive performance in neurological patients with stroke, subcortical ischemia, and vascular dementia. However, there are no studies that have evaluated the effect of IC on cognitive performance in patients with PD. The objective of the present study is to evaluate the chronic effect of IC on the cognitive performance of patients with PD. Furthermore, the investigators intend to evaluate other secondary outcomes such as motor function, mobility, quality of life, and immunological responses.
4,573 studies on the registry are indexed under Parkinson Disease; 1,086 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 52 is above the median of 40 across 3,353 interventional studies indexed under Parkinson Disease.
Browse Parkinson Disease studies →Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein is the lead sponsor of 147 studies on the registry; 32 are open to participants now.
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Exclusion Criteria:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
A condition in which the immune system attacks the body’s own tissues, such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, psoriasis, type 1 diabetes or inflammatory bowel disease.
Immunotherapy studies often leave out active autoimmune disease, and some name exceptions, such as thyroid disease on replacement hormone. Check the exceptions this study lists.
Autoimmune disease
A condition in which the immune system attacks the body’s own tissues, such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, psoriasis, type 1 diabetes or inflammatory bowel disease.
Immunotherapy studies often leave out active autoimmune disease, and some name exceptions, such as thyroid disease on replacement hormone. Check the exceptions this study lists.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Therapy will be performed bilaterally on the upper limbs. The ischemic conditioning group will perform 4 times, 8 cycles with 30 seconds of ischemia (80 - 200 mmHg) with 5 seconds of reperfusion in each cycle. Ischemia cycles are controlled by a device (KAATSU C4 - KAATSU GLOBAL / USA) In the first cycle, participants will be subjected to pressures of 80 to 150 mmHg. In the 3 subsequent cycles, pressures from 130 to 200 mmHg will be applied.
Device: Ischemic conditioning group
Participants in the control group (Sham) will perform the same number of sets and 4 cycles, with equalized time to ischemia (4 minutes) and (40 seconds) reperfusion timing, but at a non-occlusive pressure of 30 mmHg (KAATSU C4 device)
Device: Sham group
The ischemic conditioning protocol will consist of a period of 12 weeks (24 sessions) with a frequency of 2 weekly sessions lasting between 15 and 20 minutes each. Therapy will be performed bilaterally on the upper limbs. The ischemic conditioning group will perform 4 times, 8 cycles with 30 seconds of ischemia (80 - 200 mmHg) with 5 seconds of reperfusion in each cycle. Ischemia cycles are controlled by a device (KAATSU C4 - KAATSU GLOBAL / USA) with customized ischemia programs, partially restricting blood flow through special pressure cuffs that are internally valved, providing greater comfort and safety for these patients who typically have stiffness in the affected limb and localized muscle pain. In the first cycle, participants will be subjected to pressures of 80 to 150 mmHg. In the 3 subsequent cycles, pressures from 130 to 200 mmHg will be applied.
In the sham group, participants will complete the same number of sets (4) and 4 cycles, with equalized time to ischemia (4 minutes) and (40 seconds) reperfusion timing, but at a non-occlusive pressure of 30 mmHg. Device, cuff placement, instructions, staff contact, and session duration will be standardized across groups.
Montreal cognitive assesment
Maximum score: 30 points; Normal cognition: 26-30 points; Mild cognitive impairment (MCI): Below 26 points
Time frame: Before intervention and at week 12
The Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire-39
The overall score ranges from 0 to 100%, with higher scores indicating a greater negative impact of Parkinson's Disease on the patient's quality of life.
Time frame: Before intervention and at week 12
Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale
0-260 points: A higher score indicates greater impairment
Time frame: Time Frame: Before intervention and at week 12
Timed up and go
\<10 seconds: Individuals are generally able to perform most daily activities independently without assistance; 10-19 seconds: Indicates independence in most daily activities but may suggest slight mobility limitations; 20-29 seconds: Suggests the need for assistance with mobility, especially for more challenging tasks; ≥30 seconds: Indicates a high fall risk, and the individual likely needs assistance with many daily tasks and may require mobility aids.
Time frame: Before intervention and at week 12
Assessment of cellular and soluble immune response
The patient's peripheral blood will be collected in three EDTA tubes of 5 mL each before and after 12 weeks of application of the ischemic conditioning protocol. From the blood samples, plasma will be obtained for quantification of soluble mediators, followed by the isolation/storage of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC or Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cell) for phenotypic characterization of subpopulations of T and B lymphocytes, NK cells, myeloids and monocytes
Time frame: Before intervention and at week 12
Quantifications of systemic soluble mediators
Initially, the EDTA tubes containing the blood will be centrifuged for 5 minutes at 400 x g and 20 ºC to separate the plasma. The collected plasma will be aliquoted into cryotubes and stored at -80ºC until the tests are carried out. Quantification of systemic soluble mediators will be performed using the MILLIPLEX® Human Cytokine/Chemokine/Growth Factor Panel A Kit H - Immunology Multiplex Assay (Merck Millipore, Massachusetts, USA). The panel of analytes included chemokines, growth factors, pro-inflammatory cytokines and regulatory cytokines: FGF-2/FGF-basic, G-CSF, GM-CSF, IFNa2,IFNy, IL-1a, IL-1b, IL-1RA , IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-7, IL-8/CXCL8, IL-10, IL-12 (p40), IL-12 (p70), IL-13, IL-15, IL -17A/CTLA8, IL-18, IP-10/CXCL10, MCP-1/CCL2, MCP-3/CCL7, M-CSF, MIG/CXCL9, MIP-1a/CCL3, MIP-1b/CCL4, PDGF-AB /BB, RANTES/CCL5, TNFa, TNFb/Lymphotoxin-a, VEGF-A, HIF-1ą. The PCR, BNDF, and Irisin proteins will be measured using single-plex assays.
Time frame: Before intervention and at week 12
PBMC acquisition and flow cytometry
Finally, a minimum of 100,000 events will be acquired on the BD LSRFortessa™ flow cytometer (BD Biosciences).
Time frame: Before intervention and at week 12
No study locations are listed for this record.
Plan to share: No
Start is estimated for Dec 2026; primary completion for Aug 2028, 19 months later.
Of 1,291 non-industry interventional studies with no phase under Parkinson Disease, half reached primary completion within 24 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 11 and three quarters within 44. This study's planned 19 months is below that.
Counting every sponsor, half of 1,367 studies reached it within 25 months; a quarter within 11 and three quarters within 44.
Since we started tracking on Sep 25, 2026, the dates moved once, on Nov 6, 2026: start Oct 2026 → Dec 2026 and completion Sep 2028 → Dec 2028.
Earlier changes are on the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.
From the registry record's own update history. This site started tracking changes on Sep 25, 2026; for anything earlier, see the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
This study is not yet recruiting, as verified in Oct 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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