SynthesisFrontiers in physiology2026
Which exercise modality improves vascular function most in overweight or obese adults? A Bayesian network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Synthesis in Frontiers in physiology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
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.
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.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
- Exercise in Patients with Subclinical Atherosclerosis: Mechanisms, Clinical Evidence, and Practical Recommendations.Current atherosclerosis reports · 2026Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background: Exercise is recommended for adults with overweight or obesity, but the comparative vascular effects of different exercise modalities remain uncertain. Methods: We conducted a systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials enrolling adults with overweight or obesity. PubMed, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, and EBSCO SPORTDiscus were searched from inception to 31 May 2025, supplemented by Google Scholar and reference screening. Eligible interventions lasted at least 4 weeks and were classified as continuous endurance training (CET), resistance training (RT), interval training (INT), combined aerobic-resistance training (CT), or hybrid/mixed-modality programs (HYB). The primary outcome was flow-mediated dilation (FMD); secondary outcomes were pulse wave velocity (PWV) and carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT). Risk of bias was assessed using RoB 2 and certainty using CINeMA. Results: Fifty-one randomized trials (2,638 participants) were included. Exercise improved FMD (standardized mean difference [SMD], 0.99; 95% CI, 0.69 to 1.29), reduced PWV (SMD, -0.31; 95% CI, -0.44 to -0.18), and reduced CIMT (SMD, -0.20; 95% CI, -0.36 to -0.05). In descriptive treatment-versus-control rankings, HYB had the largest FMD estimate, INT had the largest PWV reduction, and CET/CT had the largest CIMT reductions; however, these rankings were imprecise and certainty was low. FMD showed substantial heterogeneity (I2 = 87.1%). Sensitivity analyses excluding high-risk-of-bias studies and specialized cardiac or renal populations did not materially change the direction of findings. Conclusions: Exercise interventions are associated with favorable vascular changes in adults with overweight or obesity. Apparent modality-specific differences should be interpreted as exploratory rather than definitive because confidence in the evidence was low and several comparisons were sparse or heterogeneous. Systematic Review Registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, identifier CRD420251066443.
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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.