title: Circulating progenitor cells during exercise, muscle electro-stimulation and intermittent hypobaric hypoxia in patients with traumatic brain injury: a pilot study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Circulating progenitor cells (CPC) treatments may have great potential for the recovery of neurons and brain function.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To increase and maintain CPC with a program of exercise, muscle electro-stimulation (ME) and/or intermittent-hypobaric-hypoxia (IHH), and also to study the possible improvement in physical or psychological functioning of participants with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-one participants. Four groups: exercise and ME group (EEG), cycling group (CyG), IHH and ME group (HEG) and control group (CG). Psychological and physical stress tests were carried out. CPC were measured in blood several times during the protocol.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Psychological tests did not change. In the physical stress tests the VO2 uptake increased in the EEG and the CyG, and the maximal tolerated workload increased in the HEG. CPC levels increased in the last three weeks in EEG, but not in CyG, CG and HEG.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CPC levels increased in the last three weeks of the EEG program, but not in the other groups and we did not detect performed psychological test changes in any group. The detected aerobic capacity or workload improvement must be beneficial for the patients who have suffered TBI, but exercise type and the mechanisms involved are not clear.
authors.affiliation: Intensive Care Unit and Neuropsychology Department, Bellvitge University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain Department of Physiological Sciences II, Pathology and Experimental Therapeutics and Physiology and Immunology of University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Corral
authors.affiliation: Intensive Care Unit and Neuropsychology Department, Bellvitge University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Conde
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiological Sciences II, Pathology and Experimental Therapeutics and Physiology and Immunology of University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Elisabet
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Guillamó
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiological Sciences II, Pathology and Experimental Therapeutics and Physiology and Immunology of University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Blasi
authors.affiliation: Intensive Care Unit and Neuropsychology Department, Bellvitge University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Montserrat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Juncadella
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiological Sciences II, Pathology and Experimental Therapeutics and Physiology and Immunology of University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Casimiro
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Javierre
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiological Sciences II, Pathology and Experimental Therapeutics and Physiology and Immunology of University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Ginés
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Viscor
authors.affiliation: Intensive Care Unit and Neuropsychology Department, Bellvitge University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Josep L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Ventura
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D017079:Exercise Tolerance; D006801:Humans; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology*
keywords: Traumatic brain injury; circulating progenitor cells; exercise; physiology