Clinical trials

Title: The Impact of Pulmonary Rehabilitation Conducted in Therapeutic Salt Chambers on the Clinical Condition of Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Background and Rationale: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a progressive respiratory disorder that significantly reduces patients' quality of life and functional capacity. In the search for supportive therapeutic strategies, there is growing interest in unconventional therapeutic environments such as therapeutic salt chambers. The underground climate of the "Wieliczka" Salt Mine in Poland - characterized by humidity 60-75%, temperature 12.9-14.5°C, high air purity and ionization - has shown therapeutic potential. However, the clinical effects of pulmonary rehabilitation conducted in such an environment in COPD patients remain insufficiently documented. Study Objective: To evaluate the effect of pulmonary rehabilitation and climatic therapy conducted in underground salt chambers on the clinical condition of patients with stable COPD. Research Question: Does pulmonary rehabilitation conducted in a subterranean salt mine environment offer measurable clinical benefits compared to standard surface-based rehabilitation? Study Design and Methods: This is a randomized, controlled, four-arm interventional study including 80 adult patients with a confirmed diagnosis of COPD according to the GOLD 2025 criteria. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of four groups: Group A: Pulmonary rehabilitation in underground therapeutic salt chambers (physical training + microclimate exposure). Group B: Pulmonary rehabilitation in a surface-level gymnasium (physical training without microclimate exposure). Group C: Passive stay in underground salt chambers (microclimate exposure without physical training). Group D: Health education only (control group, surface level). The intervention program consists of 16 consecutive working days of 3-hour daily sessions. The content of the rehabilitation varies depending on the assigned group and includes general conditioning exercises, respiratory exercises, relaxation training, and health education. Outcome Measures and Assessment Tools: Clinical assessments will be conducted at three time points: prior to the intervention (T0), immediately after the intervention (T1), and at a 3-month follow-up (T2 - for Groups A and B only). The monitored variables include: Exercise Tolerance: Incremental Shuttle Walk Test (ISWT) Health-Related Quality of Life: St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire COPD Symptoms and Risk Indexes: COPD Assessment Test (CAT), BODE Index Muscle Strength: Deadlift test, hand dynamometer, 30-second Chair Stand Test Respiratory Muscle Strength: Maximal Inspiratory Pressure (MIP) and Maximal Expiratory Pressure (MEP) Body Composition: Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) Dyspnea Scales: Borg Scale, modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) scale Chest Mobility: Measuring tape assessment The study is designed to evaluate both the immediate and long-term effects of different pulmonary rehabilitation models on clinical outcomes in COPD patients, with a focus on whether the underground environment enhances rehabilitation efficacy.

The aim of the study is to assess the impact of the rehabilitation and treatment stay at the underground Health Resort of the 'Wieliczka' Salt Mine in Wieliczka on the functional capacity, respiratory parameters, and rheological properties of blood in elderly individuals with respiratory diseases.

The impact of a proprietary training program in normobaric hypoxia on changes in bone turnover markers as well as carbohydrate and lipid metabolism in premenopausal women falls within the realm of physical culture for an active and healthy society. Within this context, the implementation of a project is supported aiming to: 1. Monitor, support, and promote physical development, fitness, and physical activity in society, by assessing the effects of a proprietary training program in normobaric hypoxia on changes in bone turnover markers as well as carbohydrate and lipid metabolism in premenopausal women. 2. Develop and implement innovative methods, forms, and means of physical activation and training for individuals of various ages, by formulating general assumptions of an endurance-strength training concept under normobaric hypoxia conditions, concerning changes in bone turnover markers as well as carbohydrate and lipid metabolism in premenopausal women. 3. Prevent injuries in physical education and sports, by designing a useful training program for osteoporosis prevention as well as for managing carbohydrate and lipid metabolism disorders in premenopausal women.

* Cognitive assessment of the influence of a 4-week proprietary training program under normobaric hypoxia conditions on the levels of inflammatory markers, disturbances in prooxidant-antioxidant balance, degree of intestinal damage, and mitochondrial energy production rate in young sedentary males. * Applied objective: Development of practical training guidelines utilizing training in normobaric hypoxia conditions to enhance mechanisms related to oxygen transport, adaptive changes within the immune system, body's antioxidant capacity, gut permeability, substrate utilization efficiency, and mitochondrial function for coaches and athletes.