An interventional study of Standard Inpatient Cardiac Rehabilitation and Eccentric Cycling Exercise in Myocardial Infarction (MI) and Cardiac Rehabilitation, sponsored by Medical University of Gdansk. Not yet recruiting at 1 site in Poland. Open to male participants aged 50 Years to 75 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-07-27.
Sponsored by Medical University of Gdansk · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
This clinical trial will evaluate a two-week eccentric exercise program conducted as part of comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation in patients after a heart attack (myocardial infarction). Eccentric exercise involves muscle contractions while the muscles are lengthening and may allow the muscles to work at a relatively high load with a lower cardiovascular and metabolic demand than traditional exercise.
The main aim of the study is to determine whether eccentric exercise affects blood levels of proteins released or regulated in response to physical activity, including musclin, interleukin-6, and myostatin. The study will also evaluate whether the program improves physical performance and functional capacity.
Participants will complete eccentric cycling exercise on a semi-recumbent cycle ergometer during a two-week cardiac rehabilitation program. Blood samples and physical-function measurements will be collected before and after the intervention.
Exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation is an important component of secondary prevention after myocardial infarction. However, some patients experience reduced exercise tolerance or fear of physical activity, which may limit participation in rehabilitation and contribute to physical deconditioning, loss of muscle mass, and reduced functional capacity.
Eccentric exercise is characterized by muscle contractions performed while the muscle is lengthening. Compared with traditional concentric exercise, eccentric exercise can provide a relatively high mechanical load to skeletal muscles while requiring lower oxygen consumption and imposing a lower metabolic demand. For this reason, eccentric training may be a useful rehabilitation strategy for patients who have limited exercise tolerance after myocardial infarction.
The intervention will consist of a two-week eccentric cycling program performed on a semi-recumbent cycle ergometer as part of comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation. The training is intended to provide controlled loading of the lower-limb muscles while limiting excessive cardiovascular strain.
The primary scientific objective is to evaluate changes in the molecular response to eccentric exercise, with particular emphasis on circulating myokines and exerkines. Blood concentrations of musclin, interleukin-6, and myostatin will be assessed before and after the rehabilitation period. The study will also evaluate changes in physical performance, muscle function, and functional exercise capacity using the assessments specified in the study protocol.
The findings may help determine whether eccentric exercise produces beneficial molecular and functional adaptations in patients undergoing cardiac rehabilitation after myocardial infarction.
2,270 studies on the registry are indexed under Myocardial Infarction; 371 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 60 is below the median of 150 across 1,314 interventional studies indexed under Myocardial Infarction.
Browse Myocardial Infarction studies →Medical University of Gdansk is the lead sponsor of 133 studies on the registry; 46 are open to participants now.
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Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.
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.
The New York Heart Association’s four classes of how much heart failure limits physical activity.
Studies set their own limit — many outside heart failure leave out class III–IV, while heart failure studies may ask for a particular class. Check the class this study names.
A reason a treatment, test or procedure should not be given to a particular person, such as an allergy, another illness or a medicine they take.
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Judged by the study doctor to matter for your health or for the study. It is a doctor’s decision, so ask the study team if you are unsure whether something counts.
NYHA class (heart failure)
The New York Heart Association’s four classes of how much heart failure limits physical activity.
Studies set their own limit — many outside heart failure leave out class III–IV, while heart failure studies may ask for a particular class. Check the class this study names.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Contraindication
A reason a treatment, test or procedure should not be given to a particular person, such as an allergy, another illness or a medicine they take.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Informed consent
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Clinically significant
Judged by the study doctor to matter for your health or for the study. It is a doctor’s decision, so ask the study team if you are unsure whether something counts.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Standard stage I inpatient cardiac rehabilitation provided after myocardial infarction and individualized according to each participant's clinical condition and exercise capacity. The program includes standard kinesitherapy and exercise-based rehabilitation procedures.
Behavioral: Standard Inpatient Cardiac Rehabilitation
Supervised eccentric cycling exercise performed on a motor-driven semi-recumbent cycle ergometer in addition to standard inpatient cardiac rehabilitation. Sessions will last 10 to 30 minutes, with progressive adaptation during the first five sessions. Exercise workload will be individualized according to baseline exercise capacity. Perceived exertion and muscle soreness will be monitored during each session.
Behavioral: Standard Inpatient Cardiac Rehabilitation · Behavioral: Eccentric Cycling Exercise
Standard stage I inpatient cardiac rehabilitation provided after myocardial infarction and individualized according to each participant's clinical condition and exercise capacity. The program includes standard kinesitherapy and exercise-based rehabilitation procedures.
Supervised eccentric cycling exercise performed on a motor-driven semi-recumbent cycle ergometer in addition to standard inpatient cardiac rehabilitation. Sessions will last 10 to 30 minutes, with progressive adaptation during the first five sessions. Exercise workload will be individualized according to baseline exercise capacity. Perceived exertion and muscle soreness will be monitored during each session.
Change From Baseline in Serum Musclin Concentration
Serum musclin concentration will be measured in fasting venous blood samples using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The outcome will be calculated as the concentration measured after the intervention minus the baseline concentration and reported in ng/mL.
Time frame: Baseline and after completion of the 2-week inpatient cardiac rehabilitation program
Change From Baseline in Serum Myostatin Concentration
Serum myostatin concentration will be measured in fasting venous blood samples using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The outcome will be calculated as the concentration measured after the intervention minus the baseline concentration.
Time frame: Baseline and after completion of the 2-week inpatient cardiac rehabilitation program
Change From Baseline in Serum Interleukin-6 Concentration
Serum interleukin-6 concentration will be measured in fasting venous blood samples using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The outcome will be calculated as the concentration measured after the intervention minus the baseline concentration.
Time frame: Baseline and after completion of the 2-week inpatient cardiac rehabilitation program
Change From Baseline in Six-Minute Walk Distance
Functional exercise capacity will be assessed using the Six-Minute Walk Test. Participants will be instructed to walk as far as possible during 6 minutes along a designated walking course under the supervision of qualified medical personnel. The total distance covered will be recorded in meters. The outcome will be calculated as the post-intervention distance minus the baseline distance, with a positive value indicating an improvement in functional exercise capacity.
Time frame: Baseline, before initiation of the inpatient cardiac rehabilitation program, and after completion of the 2-week intervention
30-Second Chair-Stand Test
Functional lower-limb strength will be assessed using the 30-Second Chair-Stand Test. Participants will be instructed to repeatedly rise to a full standing position and return to a seated position during a 30-second period. The number of correctly completed repetitions will be recorded. The outcome will be calculated as the post-intervention number of repetitions minus the baseline number, with a positive value indicating an improvement in functional lower-limb performance.
Time frame: Baseline, before initiation of the inpatient cardiac rehabilitation program, and after completion of the 2-week intervention
Change From Baseline in Kinesiophobia Assessed Using the Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia Heart
Fear of physical activity and movement related to the participant's cardiac condition will be assessed using the validated Polish version of the 17-item Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia Heart. Participants will complete the questionnaire according to the standardized scoring procedure. The total score will be reported in points. The outcome will be calculated as the post-intervention total score minus the baseline total score. A negative change will indicate a reduction in kinesiophobia, whereas a positive change will indicate an increase in kinesiophobia.
Time frame: Baseline, before initiation of the inpatient cardiac rehabilitation program, and after completion of the 2-week intervention
Change From Baseline in Peak Force During the Isometric Mid-Thigh Pull Test
Maximal isometric lower-limb strength will be assessed using the Isometric Mid-Thigh Pull test performed on a force platform. Participants will perform a maximal isometric pull against a fixed bar while standing with partial flexion of the knee and hip joints. Peak force will be determined from the recorded ground reaction force signal and reported in newtons. The outcome will be calculated as the post-intervention peak force minus the baseline peak force, with a positive value indicating an increase in maximal isometric strength.
Time frame: Baseline, before initiation of the inpatient cardiac rehabilitation program, and after completion of the 2-week intervention
Change From Baseline in the Kynurenine-to-Tryptophan Ratio
Plasma kynurenine concentration will be measured in fasting venous blood samples using a validated analytical method. The outcome will be calculated as the concentration measured after completion of the intervention minus the baseline concentration.
Time frame: Baseline, before initiation of stage I inpatient cardiac rehabilitation, and after completion of the 2-week intervention
Plan to share: No — There is currently no plan to make de-identified individual participant data available to other researchers. Study findings will be reported in aggregate form in scientific publications and presentations.
No publications or documents are linked to this record.
Start is estimated for Jul 2026; primary completion for Jul 2027, 11 months later.
Of 321 non-industry interventional studies with no phase under Myocardial Infarction, half reached primary completion within 35 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 14 and three quarters within 58. This study's planned 11 months is below that.
Counting every sponsor, half of 354 studies reached it within 34 months; a quarter within 15 and three quarters within 57.
How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.
This study is not yet recruiting, as verified in Jul 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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