The Effect of Remote Ischemic Preconditioning on Exercise Hyperemia in Multiple Sclerosis

Remote ischemic preconditioning (RIPC) is a non-invasive technique in which blood flow is cut off to a limb for a short period of time which produces a protective effect throughout the whole body to subsequent low oxygen conditions. One of the prominent cardiovascular limitations to exercise in individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) is fatigue, which may stem from the decreased delivery of oxygen to muscle tissue during exercise. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that RIPC would increase forearm blood flow (FBF) and utilization of oxygen at the level of the muscle tissue in individuals with MS during handgrip exercise. FBF and forearm vascular conductance (FVC) were measured using Doppler Ultrasound technology during rhythmic handgrip exercise both before and after the RIPC intervention, with muscle oxygen saturation and system hemodynamics measured throughout the protocol. The results of the present pilot study did not indicate an effect of RIPC on exercise hyperemia; however, due to the small sample size, further study is worthwhile in order to more accurately determine if RIPC may serve to increase exercise capacity and quality of life for individuals with MS