High-intensity interval training can improve hand grip strength, inspiratory muscle, and quality of life in systemic sclerosis subjects

Systemic sclerosis/scleroderma (SSc) is a chronic autoimmune disease with connective tissue, multi-organ, and multisystem involvement. The disease has three main characteristics, namely vasculopathy, fibrosis, and autoimmunity. The effect of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) in aerobic exercise on other rheumatic diseases has been studied, for example in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). The purpose of this work is to investigate the effectiveness of HIIT of aerobics exercise on improving the inspiratory muscle, quality of life and functional ability for systemic sclerosis subjects.

The study was conducted on patients with confirmed systemic sclerosis who met the inclusion criteria. The research was carried out for 12 months in the outpatient clinic and gait laboratory of the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.

After HIIT in aerobic exercise, we found significant changes in inspiratory muscle (SNIP values 45.67 [30.92] vs. 54.25 [22.71]), handgrip (13.14 [4.42] vs. 15.63 [4.08]), walking speed (184.70 [26.86] vs. 246.6 [12.30]), metabolic equivalent (3.53 [0.30] vs. 4.21 [1.25]) and Scleroderma-Specific Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index for all visual analog scale (VAS) domains except Disability Index. Exercise approaches are characterized by repeated cycles of exercise interrupted by rest. For a range of clinical conditions, HIIT in aerobic exercise is known to remedy blood vessel function.

Our results suggest that HIIT in aerobic exercise has improved functional ability, respiratory muscle strength, and quality of life in SSc subjects. Training twice a week in a 12-week HIIT program is considered to be safe for this population. We have to consider internal and external factors that influenced the result. A larger sample and further exploration of the feasibility of combined exercise in SSc patients should be the focus for future research.