Clinical trials

Patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) aged 40-70 years will undergo exercise training (thrice weekly for 12 weeks). A reference group composed of healthy individuals will be included. Evaluations will be conducted at baseline and after the intervention period during two visits. During the first visit, carotid artery thickness will be assessed via ultrasound before and after a cardiopulmonary exercise testing. The second visit will include the evaluation of endothelial function using venous occlusion plethysmography. After this, participants will engage in 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, and blood samples will be collected pre- and post-exercise. Circulating levels of kynurenine pathway (KP) metabolites (Tryptophan, kynurenine, kynurenic acid, and quinolinic acid), pro-inflammatory cytokines, cell adhesion molecules, and lipid profiles will be measured via Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA), multiplex essays, and biochemical analysis; respectively.

Patients living with HIV (PLWHIV) have compromised muscle metaboreflex, which can cause exercise intolerance. This randomized controlled clinical trial will verify the effects of regular exercise on autonomic and hemodynamic responses to muscle ergoreflex activation in these patients. PLWHIV without regular physical exercise will be randomly assigned into an exercise training or a control group. The exercise training group will undergo regular physical exercise during 12 weeks (60-min session performed 3 times/wk with moderate intensity), while the control group will keep inactive. Another group consisted of inactive HIV-uninfected group will be included. The primary endpoints will be blood pressure and autonomic markers in response to the Stroop Color-Word Test and the activation of muscle ergoreflex, by means of the post-exercise circulatory arrest (PECA), which will be performed with and without the topical application of a capsaicin-based analgesic balm. Secondary endpoints will include heart rate, peripheral vascular resistance, stroke volume, cardiac output, blood lactate concentration, anthropometrics, and handgrip strength. The active and inactive PLWHIV groups will be evaluated before and after the exercise training, while the healthy group only at baseline.