As we were and as we Should Be, Combined Exercise Training in Adults with Schizophrenia: CORTEX-SP Study Part I.

Abstract

Given the health benefits and the role of exercise as an anti-inflammatory adjuvant program, this study aimed to determine the effectiveness of a combined exercise program on cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), body composition, and biochemical levels in adults with schizophrenia (SZ) characterized at baseline as metabolically unhealthy overweight with low CRF. Participants diagnosed with SZ (n = 112, 41.3 ± 10.4 yr, 28.7% women) were randomly assigned into a Treatment-As-Usual (TAU) control group (n = 53) or a supervised exercise group (n = 59, 3 days/week). Each combined exercise session consisted of both a low-volume high-intensity interval training (less than 10 min of high-intensity time per session) and a resistance circuit-training program. All variables were assessed pre-and post-intervention (20 weeks). For the assessment of CRF, a peak cardiopulmonary exercise test on a cycle ergometer was used. Following the intervention, participants from the exercise group (n = 51) showed increases in CRF (P < 0.001) through peak oxygen uptake (L·min-1; Δ = 17.6%; mL·kg.1·min-1, Δ = 19.6%) and the metabolic equivalent of task (Δ = 19%), with no significant changes (P > 0.05) in body composition and biochemical variables. However, the TAU group (n = 38) did not show any significant change in the study variables (P > 0.05). Between-group significant differences (P ≤ 0.05) were observed in CRF, first ventilatory threshold, and heart rate peak after the intervention period favoring the exercise group. This study demonstrated that a supervised combined exercise program in people with SZ helps to maintain body composition values and improve CRF levels. This could lead to an important clinical change in the characterization from metabolically unhealthy overweight to a metabolically healthy overweight population. Hence, exercise should be considered a co-adjuvant program in the treatment of the SZ population.