Lifelong endurance exercise to reduce coronary artery disease risk
Lifetime Endurance Exercise to Prevent Coronary Artery Disease. A Comparison With Late-onset Endurance Training and a Sedentary Lifestyle
This study is testing if lifelong endurance exercise can help middle-aged and older people reduce the risk of heart problems compared to those who start exercising later or don’t exercise at all.
Quick facts
| Study type | Observational |
|---|---|
| Enrollment | 1800 (estimated) |
| Ages | 45 Years to 70 Years |
| Sex | Male |
| Sponsor | Universitaire Ziekenhuizen KU Leuven Academic / other |
| Locations | 3 sites (Edegem and 2 other locations) |
| Trial ID | NCT03711539 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This study investigates whether lifelong endurance exercise can lower the incidence of non-calcified plaques in the coronary arteries compared to late-onset endurance exercise and a non-athletic lifestyle. It focuses on middle-aged and older individuals who engage in competitive sports, examining the relationship between exercise habits and cardiovascular health. The study aims to clarify the exercise dose-response relationship and its implications for healthy aging and cardiovascular risk. Participants will include lifelong endurance athletes, late-onset endurance athletes, and healthy non-athletes.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal candidates include lifelong endurance athletes aged 45-70 who began endurance sports before age 30, late-onset endurance athletes who started after age 30, and healthy non-athletes.
Not a fit: Patients who do not engage in endurance sports or are younger than 45 years may not receive benefit from this study.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this study could provide insights into how lifelong endurance exercise may prevent coronary artery disease and improve cardiovascular health.
How similar studies have performed: Other studies have explored the benefits of exercise on cardiovascular health, but this specific comparison of lifelong versus late-onset endurance exercise is relatively novel.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
* Lifelong endurance athletes:
* Initiation of endurance sports before the age of 30 years
* Activities at regional, national or international level
* Sports: triathlon, cycling, distance running (1500 metres and longer) and rowing
* Aged 45-70 years
* Involved in competition and high-level training:
* more than 10 hours per week for cyclists and triathletes
* more than 6 hours per week for runners and rowers.
* Late-onset endurance athletes:
* Initiation of endurance sports after the age of 30 years and at least 6 months ago
* Activities at regional, national or international level
* Sports: triathlon, cycling, distance running (1500 metres and longer) and rowing
* Aged 45-70 years
* Involved in competition and high-level training:
* more than 10 hours per week for cyclists and triathletes
* more than 6 hours per week for runners and rowers.
* Healthy non-athletes
* subjects seen in the outpatient clinic for a work-related medical check-up
* university alumni
* subjects from multisports organisations
* history of regular sports practice \<3 hours /week
* participation in regular sports with a low dynamic component (e.g. billiards, darts or bowling) \>3 hours /week is allowed
Exclusion Criteria:
* history of smoking (\> 5 pack years)
* history of diabetes
* diagnosis of cardiopulmonary disorder prior to inclusion
* medical treatment for arterial hypertension or hypercholesterolemia
Where this trial is running
Edegem and 2 other locations
- University Hospital, Antwerpen — Edegem, Belgium (Recruiting)
- Jessa Hospital — Hasselt, Belgium (Recruiting)
- UZLeuven — Leuven, Belgium (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Guido Claessen, MD, PhD
- Email: guido.claessen@kuleuven.be
- Phone: +3216343397
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.