Effects on Serum Protein Levels From One Bout of High Intensity Interval Training in Individuals With Axial Spondyloarthritis and Controls
Question
How does one bout of HIIT affect serum inflammatory and bone-related protein levels in axial spondyloarthritis compared with healthy controls?
Summary
In a small pilot study, 10 people with axial spondyloarthritis and 11 healthy controls completed one supervised cycling HIIT session. IL-6 and BMP-7 increased one hour after exercise, while most other inflammatory and bone-related markers did not change. The authors considered the session safe and feasible, but adverse events were not separately tabulated.
Methodology
- Adults with axial spondyloarthritis and healthy controls.
- 21 participants.
- Cycle ergometry.
- Work intervals: 4 minutes.
- Recovery: 3 minutes active rest.
- Intensity: RPE >17 and 90% estimated HRmax.
- About 25 minutes excluding setup.
- Single session.
- One session.
- Cross-sectional pilot acute exercise study with disease-control comparison
- Inflammatory proteins, Bone-related proteins, and Safety feasibility were tracked.
Outcomes
IL-6
IL-6 increased overall, with significant post hoc increase in controls but not axSpA.
Main effect p=0.03; HC p=0.04; axSpA p=0.23
BMP-7
BMP-7 increased after HIIT in both groups.
Main effect p<0.001; axSpA p=.004; HC p=.02
Other markers
Most other measured inflammatory and bone markers did not change.
No significant changes reported for remaining markers including CRP
Insights
- Single-session biomarker responses should not be interpreted as long-term clinical benefit.
- For inflammatory clinical groups, screening criteria are a central part of the intervention context.
- Cycle HIIT gives controlled loading for populations where impact may matter.
Limitations
- Small pilot sample.
- Acute-only design.
- Low disease activity and medication use limit generalizability.
- Safety was not reported with a detailed adverse-event table.
Safety
- Adverse events were not explicitly tabulated.
- The authors concluded the screened, supervised HIIT bout was safe and feasible.
- Participants with cardiovascular/lung disease, abnormal ECG, elevated blood pressure, diabetes, angina, dizziness, severe shortness of breath with exercise, medication changes, or pregnancy were excluded or referred.