Knee-extensor training to improve leg blood flow and exercise ability in Veterans with HFpEF
Official title: Mechanisms of Impaired Skeletal Muscle Blood Flow and Exercise Intolerance in Veterans with Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction: Efficacy of Knee Extensor Training
Funded at Iowa City VA Medical Center · NIH-11092698 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This will try a knee-extensor exercise program to help Veterans with HFpEF improve leg blood flow and exercise endurance.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Iowa City VA Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Iowa City, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2022 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| NIH project number | 5IK2RX003670-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11092698 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are Veterans diagnosed with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction who have exercise intolerance and can attend supervised exercise sessions at the VA center.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with reduced ejection fraction, unstable heart failure, recent cardiac events, or who cannot participate in supervised leg exercise are unlikely to benefit from this program.
What this research studies
You would have tests of leg blood flow, muscle oxygen delivery, autonomic function, and exercise capacity before and after a period of focused knee-extensor training. The research team will use exercise tests and measurements of microvascular function to understand why people with HFpEF have trouble with activity. Participants will take part in a supervised knee-extensor exercise program designed to boost blood flow to the lower limbs. Investigators will compare biological and functional measurements from before and after training to see if the exercises restore vascular control and reduce exercise intolerance.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could increase walking and daily activity tolerance and improve quality of life for Veterans with HFpEF.
How similar studies have gone: Prior research shows localized muscle training can improve exercise capacity in some heart-failure groups, but applying this approach specifically to HFpEF and measuring microvascular mechanisms is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
Iowa City VA Medical Center
Iowa City, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bunsawat, Kanokwan — Iowa City VA Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Bunsawat, Kanokwan
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.