Refining physical exercise training studies in patients with inflammatory bowel disease: patient selection and assessment of physical fitness changes

Excerpt

With interest we read the study protocol of the IBD-FITT study by Lund et al., an open-label randomized controlled trial (RCT) investigating the effects of a 12-week aerobic moderate-intensity physical exercise training program for patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and moderate disease activity [1]. We agree with the authors regarding the potential beneficial role of physical exercise training in the holistic management of IBD. Also, robust evidence regarding its effectiveness as a standardized treatment modality for this specific population is indeed still lacking. We therefore echo the authors’ emphasis on the critical need for research on these interventions, with an RCT being a useful step in such research. However, we would like to underscore the need for accurate assessment of physical fitness components in such physical exercise training intervention studies in terms of 1) adequate patient selection, 2) monitoring the response to training, and 3) evaluating changes in physical fitness following the intervention. …