Table 1.
Systematic review and meta-analytic data on the effects of isometric exercise training on resting blood pressure
| Systematic review with meta-analysis | Analysis details | Inclusion/exclusion criteria | Outcome | Subgroup outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owen et al. [110] |
Published February 2010 5 trials 122 participants |
RCTs published ≤ 2009 |
sBP: − 10.4 mmHg dBP: − 6.7 mmHg |
N/A |
| Kelly and Kelly [117] |
Published March 2010 3 trials 81 participants |
RCTs published from 1971 to Feb 2009 ≥ 4-week intervention |
sBP: − 13.4 mmHg dBP: − 7.8 mmHg |
N/A |
| Cornelissen et al. [118] |
Published September 2011 3 trials 82 participants |
RCTs published ≤ June 2010 |
sBP: − 13.5 mmHg dBP: − 7.8 mmHg |
N/A |
| Cornelissen & Smart. [91] |
Published February 2013 5 trials 150 participants |
RCTs published from 1976 to Feb 2012 ≥ 4-week intervention |
sBP: − 10.9 mmHg dBP: − 6.2 mmHg |
N/A |
| Carlson et al. [102] |
Published March 2014 9 trials 223 participants |
RCTs published from 1966 to July 2013 ≥ 4-week intervention |
sBP: − 6.77 mmHg dBP: − 3.96 mmHg mBP: − 3.94 mmHg |
N/A |
| Jin et al. [111] |
Published January 2017 6 trials 157 participants |
RCTs ≤ Nov 2014 Handgrip studies only ≥ 4-week intervention |
sBP: − 8.33 mmHg dBP: − 3.93 mmHg |
HTN: sBP and dBP significantly decreased in NTN, pre-HTN and HTN, although greatest reductions in pre-HTN |
| Inder et al. [112] |
Published October 2016 11 trials 302 participants |
RCTs and cross-over trials published from 1966 to Jan 2015 ≥ 2-week intervention |
sBP: − 5.20 mmHg dBP: − 3.91 mmHg mBP: − 3.33 mmHg |
Sex: greater reduction in males Age: greater reductions in older participants (≥ 45 y) Duration: Greater reductions in interventions ≥ 8 wk HTN: Greater reductions in hypertensive participants Unilateral: greater reductions in unilateral than bilateral IET Upper vs lower: greater reductions in arm vs lower limb IET |
| Loaiza-Betancur et al. [119] |
Published March 2020 6 trials 139 participants |
RCTs published < 2016 Normotensive participants only (< 120 mmHg and < 80 mmHg) |
sBP: − 2.83 mmHg dBP: − 2.73 mmHg mBP: − 3.07 mmHg |
N/A |
| Loaiza-Betancur et al. [96] |
Published August 2020 11 trials 311 participants |
RCTs published < Jan 2018 ≤ 50% MVC intensity |
sBP: − 5.43 mmHg dBP: − 2.41 mmHg mBP: − 1.28 mmHg |
HTN: mBP significantly decreased in pre-HTN, but sBP and dBP did not. sBP significantly decreased in HTN, but not dBP or mBP BMI: sBP but not dBP significantly decreased in healthy BMI participants. No significant reductions were found in overweight or obese patients separately Age: sBP significantly decreased in ≥ 50-year-olds, but not dBP or mBP. BP did not significantly decrease in < 45-year-olds Medication: patients on anti-hypertensive medication had significantly decreased dBP, but not sBP or mBP |
| López-Valenciano et al. [113] |
Published July 2019 16 trials 492 participants |
RCTs published < Jan 2018 ≥ 2-week intervention |
sBP: − 5.23 mmHg dBP: − 1.64 mmHg mBP: − 2.9 mmHg |
HTN: greater reductions in normotensive vs hypertensives participants Other: no significant effects of sex, age, clinical status, intervention duration, mode or intensity |
| Naci et al. [90] |
Published July 2019 12 trials |
RCTs published < Sep 2018 | sBP: − 5.65 mmHg | N/A |
| Hansford et al. [114] |
Published August 2021 24 trials 1143 participants |
RCTs published < Aug 2020 ≥ 3-week intervention |
sBP: − 6.97 mmHg dBP: − 3.86 mmHg |
HTN: similar statistically significant sBP reductions in pre-HTN and HTN. Greater dBP reductions in HTN than pre-HTN, although both statistically significant Mode: greater sBP reductions in leg than handgrip IET, although both statistically significant. Greater dBP reductions in handgrip, with no significant change in leg IET |
| Edwards et al. [103] |
Published December 2021 18 trials 672 participants |
RCTs published from Jan 2000 to Sep 2020 Intervention duration 2–12 weeks |
sBP: − 8.50 mmHg dBP: − 4.07 mmHg mBP: − 6.46 mmHg |
Upper vs lower body IET: no significant difference No significance moderator effects for hypertension diagnosis, medication status or intervention duration |
| Edwards et al. [120] |
Published August 2022 18 trials 628 participants |
RCTs published from 2000 to Dec 2021 Intervention duration 2–12 weeks Reported at least 1 mechanistic parameter alongside the primary BP change |
sBP: − 9.34 mmHg dBP: − 4.30 mmHg mBP: − 5.21 mmHg |
Mode: non-statistically significant differences (although clinically significant) between wall squat, leg extension and handgrip |
BMI body mass index, dBP diastolic blood pressure, HTN hypertension, IET isometric exercise training, mBP mean blood pressure, NTN normotension, pre-HTN pre-hypertension, RCT randomised controlled trial, sBP systolic blood pressure