Table 2.
Characteristics of the included studies.
| Study | Type of study | Clinical status | Sex | Age | Intervention (modality & protocol) | Intervention duration | Exercise frequency | Vascular occlusion method | Outcome measures | Outcomes results | Adverse effects |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kampic et al., 2021[30] | RCT | CAD | 18 ♂; 6 ♀ | 60 ± 2 years | IG:BFR RT with AT CG: usual care AT | 8 wks | 2 exercise sessions/week | Cuff inflation 15 - 20 mmHg>resting BSP | Leg extension muscle strength; biomarkers assessment | IG: :↑ muscle strength ↑SBP | No |
| Ogawa et al., 2021[27] | RCT | Post cardiac surgery | 3 ;♀ 18 ♂ | 69.6 ± 12.6 years | IG: KAATSU (knee ext, flx with BFR), AT; CG:usual care, AT | 12 wks | 2 times/week | Cuff pressure was first set at 100 mmHg at a mounting pressure of 20 mmHg and was gradually increased to 160–200 mmHg | Body composition; MTH; Blood biochemistry; MVIC Walking speed; HGS; knee strength | IG:↑ muscle strength, muscle size. physical function | No |
| Kambic et al., 2019[23] | RCT | CAD | 18 ♂; 6 ♀ | 60±2 y | IG: BFR RT CG:usual care (AT) | 8 wks | 2 exercise sessions/week | Cuff inflation 15 - 20mmHg>resting BSP | Leg extension muscle strength; VL muscle thickness; FMD | IG:↑ muscle strength; ↓ SBP; ↑ HR; tend toward improvement FMD | No |
| Ishizaka et al., 2019[24] | Quasi-experimental design | 1 ♀; 6 ♂ | 48±23 | Leg extension in four conditions: at 10% and 20% intensities with and without BFR | 1 day | 1 session | Pressure to 180 mmHg for BFR in the lower limbs | EMG rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus medialis | At 10% intensity, BFR increased EMG of all muscles | No | |
| Groennebaek et al., 2019[31] | RCT | CHF | 36♂ | IG: BFR 66.7±7, RIC:62±9; CG:63±10 | IG: BFR RT or RIC CG: no intervention | 8 wks | 3 times/week | Proximal portion of the thighs and inflating them to 50% of individually determined arterial occlusion pressures | Blood sampling, muscle biopsies,6-MWT,maximal isometric strength, dynamic knee-extensor strength, local muscular strength-endurance capacity, MLHFQ | BFR RT, but not RIC, improves functional capacity, quality of life, and muscle mitochondrial function | No |
| Tanaka and Takarada, 2018 [26] | RCT | CHF | 30 ♂ | 60.7 ± 11.1 | IG: BFR with cycle ergometer CG: Exercise on a cycle ergometer | 6 months | 3 times/week | 208.7 ± 7.4 mmHg | Cardiopulmonary exercise testing,; blood chemistry; thigh circumference | IG: Peak VO2/W, improve exercise capacity & serum BNP levels | No |
| Barili et al., 2018 [29] | Experimental design | HA | 16 ♀ | 67.2 ± 3.7 | IG: HIAE, low intensity aerobic exercise LIAE & LIAE + BFR | 4 wks | 1 session | 130% of SBP | Blood analysis rest, post-exercise and after 30 minutes recovery | SOD: ↑ GST:↑ NPSH levels:↓ | No |
| Cezar et al., 2016[22] | RCT | HA | 23 ♀ | 63.75 ± 11.58 | IG1: Wrist flexion with BFR; IG2: low intensity wrist flexion exercise training alone; CG: no structured physical exercise program | 8 wks | 2 sessions/week | 70% of SBP | Hemodynamic; biochemical responses | BFR:↓ blood pressure, mean arterial pressure | No |
| Madarame et al., 2013[25] | Experimental design | Ischemic heart disease | 2 ♀ | 57±6 | IG: Knee extension with or without BFR CG: Knee extension without BFR | 3 wks | 1 session/week | Pressure of 200 mmHg by 50 mm width elastic cuffs | Noradrenaline; D-dimer FDP; hsCRP | No significant changes in markers of hemostasis & inflammation; IG:↑ heart rate & plasma noradrenaline concentration | No |
| Fukuda et al., 2013[21] | Experimental design | Cardiovascular diseases; (5 old myocardial infarction, 1 dilated cardiomyopathy | 6 ♂ | 69±12 | IG:Biceps flexion exercise with or without BFR; CG: Biceps flexion exercise without BFR | 1 day | 1 session | kaatsu belt inflated to 110-160 mmHg on the proximal region of both arms | Electromyography; Perceived exertion | IG: Significant EMG muscle activation, ↑RPE | No |
| Nakajima et al., 2010[28] | Experimental design | Ischemic heart disease | 7 ♂ | 52±4 | IG:Leg resistance exercises (leg press, leg extension, leg curl) with BFR | 12 wks | 2 sessions/week | Pressure of 100 mmHg & gradually to 160-250 mmHg | CSA; 1-RM voluntary force and VO2; blood sampling;hormonal analyses | IG:↑ muscle strength, mass, and endurance capacity | No |
CAD: Coronary artery disease; CHF: Chronic heart failure; AT: Aerobic training; RT: Resistance training; SBP: systolic blood pressure; BSP:Brachial systolic pressure; VL: vastus lateralis; FMD:flow mediated dilatation; KAATSU RT = low-intensity resistance training with moderate blood flow restriction, MTH = muscle thickness of thigh, MVIC = maximum voluntary isometric contraction, BFR = blood flow restriction, EMG = electromyographic activity, FDP = fibrinogen/fibrin degradation products, hsCRP = high-sensitivity C-reactive protein; BNP: brain natriuretic peptide; HGS:Hand Grip Strength; HIAE:High intensity aerobic exercise; LIAE: Low intensity aerobic exercise; RPE: Ratings of perceived exertion ;CSA: muscle cross/ sectional area; HA:hypertension; ); 6-MWT: 6-minute walk test, MLHFQ: the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire; RIC: remote ischemic conditioning; ♂:male; ♀:female