Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41238358›Full record

Trial reportBMJ open2025

Effects of aquatic high-intensity interval training on patient-reported outcome measures and quality-adjusted life-years in adults with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases: a secondary analysis of the AquaHigh randomised controlled trial.

Heidi Bunæs-Næss, Birgitta Blakstad Nilsson, Linda Aimée Hartford Kvæl, Sophie E Heywood, Romée Btw Gerritsen, Kristi Elisabeth Heiberg

Registry-linked trialAbstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in BMJ 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 NCT05209802 (High-intensity Aquatic Exercise for Adults with Rheumatic Diseases), 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.

NCT05209802 nacompletednot on this map

High-intensity Aquatic Exercise for Adults with Rheumatic Diseases (AquaHigh)

TypeinterventionalSponsorOslo Metropolitan UniversityRan2022 to 2023Enrolled84ConditionsRheumatic DiseasesArmsGroup A: High intensity exercise training, Group B: moderate intensity exercise training
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

6 authors.

Heidi Bunæs-NæssDepartment of Rehabilitation Science and Health Technology, Oslo Metropolitan University Faculty of Health Sciences, Oslo, Norway heidibun@oslomet.no.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6142-0143
Birgitta Blakstad NilssonDepartment of Rehabilitation Science and Health Technology, Oslo Metropolitan University Faculty of Health Sciences, Oslo, Norway.
Linda Aimée Hartford KvælDepartment of Rehabilitation Science and Health Technology, Oslo Metropolitan University, Oslo, Norway.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3551-2271
Sophie E HeywoodSt Vincent's Hospital Melbourne Pty Ltd, Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia.
Romée Btw GerritsenHealth Economics, Oslo University Hospital Clinical Trials Unit, Oslo, Oslo, Norway.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0002-6427-8928
Kristi Elisabeth HeibergDepartment of Rehabilitation Science and Health Technology, Oslo Metropolitan University Faculty of Health Sciences, Oslo, Norway.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1740-4410

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesTo examine the effects of 12 weeks group-based peer-led aquatic high-intensity interval training (AHIIT) compared with aquatic moderate continuous training (AMICT) on patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs).

designA single-blind, parallel-group, randomised trial with a 1:1 allocation ratio.

settingCommunity-based setting.

participants89 participants (mean age 62 (SD 13) years) with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases, including hip and knee osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and axial spondyloarthritis, were randomly allocated to an AHIIT (n=44) or an AMICT (n=45) group.

interventionsThe intervention consisted of AHIIT (four intervals of 4 min at high intensity, Borg scale 14-18) or AMICT (Borg scale 12-13), conducted twice weekly for 12 weeks.

main outcome measuresOutcomes included disease activity (measured by the Patient Global Assessment), fatigue, pain and health-related quality of life (HRQoL), measured by the EQ-5D utility index (five-dimensional health status measure) and EQ VAS (self-rated overall health scale) for overall health, physical and social activities. All outcomes were assessed at baseline, 3 months and 6 months. To compare the overall benefit of these interventions, QALYs were estimated based on HRQoL. Linear mixed models for repeated measures were used to estimate the mean difference (95% CI) in outcomes.

resultsNo statistically significant differences between the groups were found in any outcomes at either three or 6 months (p>0.05).

conclusionNo difference between the groups was found on PROMs and QALYs. Future research should include larger sample sizes and a non-exercising control group to better determine the efficacy of AHIIT and clarify the role of exercise intensity in symptom management. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT05209802.

Indexed as

Exercise TherapyHigh-Intensity Interval TrainingMusculoskeletal DiseasesPatient Reported Outcome MeasuresQuality-Adjusted Life YearsRheumatic DiseasesAgedFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedQuality of LifeSingle-Blind MethodExerciseFatigueQuality of LifeREHABILITATION MEDICINERHEUMATOLOGY

Identifiers

PMID41238358
PMCPMC12625872

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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 OpenQuestion graph.