Evidence mapPaperPMID 41219127Full record

Trial reportRMD open2025

High-intensity interval and resistance training programme improves pain and fatigue outcomes in people with systemic sclerosis: a European multicentre randomised controlled trial.

Alexandros Mitropoulos, Kasper Yde Jensen, Evangelia Kouidi, Carina Boström, Giovanna Cuomo, Louise Pyndt Diederichsen, Malin Mattsson, Eva M Hoekstra, Jeska De Vries-Bouwstra, Theodoros Dimitroulas and 4 more

Registry-linked trialAbstract readMulticenter StudyRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in RMD open, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT05234671 (Exploring the Effects of a Combined Exercise Programme on Pain and Fatigue Outcomes in People With Systemic Sclerosis), which is not on this map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT05234671 nacompletednot on this map

Exploring the Effects of a Combined Exercise Programme on Pain and Fatigue Outcomes in People With Systemic Sclerosis: A Large Multi-centre Randomised Controlled Trial

TypeinterventionalSponsorSheffield Hallam UniversityRan2021 to 2024Enrolled170ConditionsSystemic SclerosisArmsExercise programme
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

14 authors.

Alexandros MitropoulosLifestyle Exercise and Nutritional Improvement (LENI) Research Group, Centre for Applied Health & Social Care Research (CARe), Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, UK alexandros.mitropoulos@shu.ac.uk.ORCID 0000-0002-9453-0808
Kasper Yde JensenCopenhagen Research Centre for Autoimmune Connective Tissue Diseases, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University, Copenhagen, Denmark.ORCID 0000-0003-4232-6079
Evangelia KouidiLaboratory of Sports Medicine, Department of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
Carina BoströmDepartment of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Division of Physiotherapy, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.ORCID 0000-0002-2506-687X
Giovanna CuomoDepartment of Precision Medicine, Universita degli Studi della Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Naples, Italy.
Louise Pyndt DiederichsenCopenhagen Research Centre for Autoimmune Connective Tissue Diseases, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Malin MattssonDepartment of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Division of Physiotherapy, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.ORCID 0000-0003-2715-7481
Eva M HoekstraDepartment of Rheumatology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
Jeska De Vries-BouwstraDepartment of Rheumatology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.ORCID 0000-0002-5624-1415
Theodoros Dimitroulas4th Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Hippokration Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece.ORCID 0000-0002-0364-1642
Mohammed AkilDepartment of Rheumatology, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield, UK.
Søren JacobsenCopenhagen Research Centre for Autoimmune Connective Tissue Diseases, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Markos KlonizakisLifestyle Exercise and Nutritional Improvement (LENI) Research Group, Centre for Applied Health & Social Care Research (CARe), Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, UK.
IMPACT-SSc CONSORTIUM

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPain and fatigue are among the most debilitating symptoms of systemic sclerosis (SSc), severely impairing quality of life (QoL). Pharmacological management is often inadequate, and evidence on exercise is limited. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a tailored exercise programme on pain and fatigue in people with SSc (PwSSc).

methodsThis European multicentre randomised controlled trial (n=6) recruited 170 PwSSc (89% limited cutaneous SSc), randomised to an exercise intervention group (EIG) or usual care group (UCG). The EIG completed a 12-week, twice-weekly supervised programme combining 30 min of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and 15 min of resistance training (RT), in addition to usual care. The UCG received usual care alone. Outcomes were assessed at baseline, 12 weeks (primary endpoint) and 24 weeks, with pain and fatigue as primary outcomes, and QoL, depression, functional ability, musculoskeletal strength/endurance and cardiorespiratory fitness as secondary outcomes.

resultsAt 12 weeks, the mean group differences for the primary, fatigue (-10.4 (95% CI 19.4 to -1.4), p<0.05) and pain (0.48 (95% CI 0.21 to 0.76), p<0.05), secondary, depression (p<0.001), QoL and self-reported function (p<0.05) and exploratory outcomes musculoskeletal strength and endurance (p<0.01), and cardiorespiratory fitness (p<0.001) were significantly improved in EIG compared with UCG.

conclusionsA 12-week supervised combined upper body exercise programme can improve pain, fatigue, depression, QoL, function, strength and cardiorespiratory fitness in PwSSc. HIIT combined with RT is safe for the study population and may serve as an effective non-pharmacological adjunct to pharmacotherapy to manage SSc symptoms and enhance QoL. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT05234671.

Indexed as

FatigueHigh-Intensity Interval TrainingPainPain ManagementResistance TrainingScleroderma, SystemicAdultAgedEuropeExercise TherapyFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedQuality of LifeTreatment OutcomeFatiguePainRehabilitationSystemic Sclerosis

Identifiers

PMID41219127
PMCPMC12606507

What Socratic holds

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Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.