J Musculoskelet Neuronal Interact., 2010; 10(3): 207-19, PMID: 20811145
The 2(nd) Berlin BedRest Study: protocol and implementation
Year: 2010
Belavy DL, Bock O, Börst H, Armbrecht G, Gast U, Degner C, Beller G, Soll H, Salanova M, Habazettl H, Heer M, de Haan A, Stegeman DF, Cerretelli P, Blottner D, Rittweger J, Gelfi C, Kornak U, Felsenberg D
Charite Universitatsmedizin Berlin, Center of Muscle and Bone Research, Hindenburgdamm 30, 12203 Berlin, Germany.
Abstract
Long-term bed-rest is used to simulate the effect of spaceflight on the human body and test different kinds of countermeasures. The 2nd Berlin BedRest Study (BBR2-2) tested the efficacy of whole-body vibration in addition to high-load resisitance exercise in preventing bone loss during bed-rest. Here we present the protocol of the study and discuss its implementation. Twenty-four male subjects underwent 60-days of six-degree head down tilt bed-rest and were randomised to an inactive control group (CTR), a high-load resistive exercise group (RE) or a high-load resistive exercise with whole-body vibration group (RVE). Subsequent to events in the course of the study (e.g. subject withdrawal), 9 subjects participated in the CTR-group, 7 in the RVE-group and 8 (7 beyond bed-rest day-30) in the RE-group. Fluid intake, urine output and axiallary temperature increased during bed-rest (p<.0001), though similarly in all groups (p>=.17). Body weight changes differed between groups (p<.0001) with decreases in the CTR-group, marginal decreases in the RE-group and the RVE-group displaying significant decreases in body-weight beyond bed-rest day-51 only. In light of events and experiences of the current study, recommendations on various aspects of bed-rest methodology are also discussed.GID: 2394; Last update: 03.09.2010
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