Effects of 12 Weeks of Aerobic Exercise (High-Intensity Interval Training or Moderate Intensity Continuous Training) with and without Blood Flow Restriction on Anthropometric Indices in Women with Cardiotoxicity after Breast Cancer Treatment

Cardiotoxicity is an unavoidable complication after chemotherapy. The present study investigated the effect of 12 weeks of aerobic exercise (high-intensity interval training or moderate-intensity continuous training) with and without blood flow restriction on some anthropometric indices in women with breast cancer who had chemotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity.

Twenty breast cancer patients with cardiotoxicity participated in this study (age: 21-34 years and body mass index: 26-57 kg/m2). Patients were randomly divided into groups of high-intensity interval training, moderate-intensity continuous aerobic exercise, high-intensity interval training with limited blood flow, and moderate-intensity aerobic training with limited blood flow. Patients then received the interventions for 12 weeks, three sessions per week. Before and after the intervention, data related to patients’ anthropometric indices were collected using a body composition analyzer (X-CONTACT 356) and analyzed using a MANCOVA test.

Weight, body mass index and final score of the body analyzer in the high-intensity interval training group with restricted blood flow improved significantly compared with the groups without restricting blood flow (P < 0.05). High-intensity interval training and restriction of blood flow reduced the percentage of body fat and age-appropriate body, increased muscle tissue, and the waist to hip ratio compared with moderate-intensity continuous training (P<0.05). Basal metabolic rate was not affected by exercise type but increased with blood flow restriction (P < 0.05).

The present study suggests the use of a combination of physical activity and restriction of blood flow as a solution for the recovery of breast cancer patients with treatment‑related cardiotoxicity (in the case of the components of the present study).