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Table 1 Study characteristics and main results of included studies

From: Resting blood pressure reductions following handgrip exercise training and the impact of age and sex: a systematic review and narrative synthesis

Author and country

Study design

Participants

Relevant comorbidities

Exercise frequency and duration

HG training prescription

Total training tension-time product

SBP training response

Secondary outcomes reported

Risk of bias (TESTEX)

Allen et al. [59]

USA

Cohort

Men (n = 14), young (26 ± 5.7 years)

 

5/week for 4 weeks

One contraction every 4 s unilateral (non-dom) at 60% MVC for 20 min

360,000

− 4 mmHg (non-sig)

Diastolic BP,

Heart rate,

Arterial health and function (FMD),

Autonomic Nervous system indicators (HRV)

7/15

Alomari et al. [60] no country noted

Cohort

Men (n = 11), young (24 ± 4.8 years)

 

5/week for 4 weeks

300 × 2 s unilateral (non-dom) HG contractions at 60% MVC, separated by 2-s rest

720,000

− 2 mmHg (non-sig)

Diastolic BP,

Heart rate,

Arterial health and function (reactive hyperamic blood flow + vascular resistance)

5/15

Badrov et al. [45] Canada

RCT—traditional

Men (n = 6), aged (67 years),

Women (n = 6), aged (63 years)

All hypertensive and/or receiving pharmacotherapy for at least 4 months

3/week for 10 weeks

4 × 2 min bilateral HG contractions at 30% MVC, separated by 1-min rest

432,000

Men: − 7 mmHg (grouped change sig),

Women: − 9 mmHg (grouped change sig)

Diastolic BP,

Heart rate,

Autonomic nervous system indicators (CV reactivity)

11/15

Badrov et al. [38] Canada

RCT—traditional

Women (n = 12), young (23 ± 4 years)

 

3/week for 8 weeks

4 × 2 min unilateral (non-dom) HG contractions at 30% MVC, separated by 4-min rest

345,600

− 6 mmHg (sig)

Diastolic BP,

Heart rate,

Autonomic nervous system indicators (HRV),

Arterial health and function (reactive hyperamic blood flow)

13/15

Women (n = 11), young (27 ± 6 years)

 

5/week for 8 weeks

4 × 2 min unilateral (non-dom) HG contractions at 30% MVC, separated by 4-min rest

576,000

− 6 mmHg (sig)

Badrov et al. [54] Canada

Cohort

Men (n = 9), young (21 ± 2 years),

Women (n = 11), young (23 ± 4 years)

 

3/week for 8 weeks

4 × 2 min unilateral (non-dom) HG contractions at 30% MVC, separated by 4-min rest

345,600

Men: − 9 mmHg (sig),

Women: − 6 mmHg (sig)

Diastolic BP,

Arterial health and function (FMD)

7/15

Baross et al. [44] *

United Kingdom

RCT—traditional

Men (n = 6) and women (n = 16), young (20.7 ± 1.6 years)

 

4/week for 6 weeks

3 × 10 s bilateral HG contractions at 20% MVC, separated by 10-min rest

14,400

− 4.9 mmHg (sig)

Diastolic BP

6/15

Bentley et al. [49] Canada

Cohort

Women (n = 17), aged (61.6 ± 4 years)

At least pre-hypertensive or receiving pharmacotherapy

4/week for 8 weeks

32 × 5 s unilateral (non-dom) HG contractions at max MVC, separated by 5-s rest

512,000

− 5.2 mmHg (sig)

Diastolic BP,

Heart rate,

Autonomic nervous system indicators (HRV and CV reactivity),

Arterial health and function (PWV and AIx)

9/15

Carlson et al. [41] * Australia

RCT—“sham”

Men and women (n = 18), aged (52 ± 8 years)

At least pre-hypertensive or receiving pharmacotherapy

3/week for 8 weeks

4 × 2 min unilateral (non-dom) HG contractions at 30%MVC, separated by 3-min rest

345,600

− 7 mmHg (sig)

Diastolic BP,

Heart rate

11/15

Men and women (n = 20), aged (54 ± 8 years)

At least pre-hypertensive or receiving pharmacotherapy

3/week for 8 weeks

4 × 2 min unilateral (non-dom) HG contractions at 5%MVC, separated by 3-min rest

57,600

− 2 mmHg (non-sig)

Dawson et al. [42] no country noted

RCT—traditional

Men (n = 8), aged (65 years),

Women (n = 1), young (47 years)

All patients required transradial catheterization for upcoming coronary angiography/angioplasty

3/week for 6 weeks

900 × 1 s unilateral (catheterized arm) HG contractions at 40% MVC, separated by 1-s rest

648,000

Men: + 1 mmHg (grouped change non-sig), Women:

+ 16 mmHg (grouped change non-sig)

Heart rate,

Arterial health and function (FMD)

5/15

Dobrosielski et al. [51] USA

Cohort

Men (n = 12), aged (81 ± 5 years)

 

4/week for 4 weeks

300 × 1 s unilateral (non-dom) HG contractions at 60% MVC, separated by 3-s rest

288,000

− 2 mmHg (non-sig)

Diastolic BP,

Heart rate,

Arterial health and function (brachial artery reactivity and FMD)

8/15

Garg et al. [39] * India

Cohort

Men (n = 16) and women (n = 14), young (29.8 ± 6.3 years)

 

3/week for 10 weeks

5 × 3 min unilateral (dominant) HG contractions at 30% MVC, separated by 5-min rest

810,000

− 9.87 mmHg (sig)

Diastolic BP

3/15

Goessler et al. [52] * Belgium

RCT—traditional

Men and women (n = 19), young (33.1 ± 2.1 years)

 

7/week for 8 weeks

4 × 2 min bilateral contractions at 30% MVC, separated by 1-min rest

806, 400

− 5.5 mmHg (sig)

Diastolic BP

8/15

Hess et al. [61] * Australia

RCT—“sham”

Men (n = 6) and women (n = 4), young (38.8 ± 10.5 years)

 

3/week for 6 weeks

4 × 2 min unilateral (non-dom) contractions at 5% MVC, separated by 1-min rest

43,200

− 4.04 mmHg (non-sig)

Diastolic BP,

Heart rate

11/15

Men (n = 6) and Women (n = 4), young (38.7 ± 12.6 years)

 

3/week for 6 weeks

4 × 2 min unilateral (non-dom) contractions at 10% MVC, separated by 1-min rest

86,400

− 5.62 mmHg (non-sig)

Kumar et al. [39] United Kingdom

Cohort

Men (n = 10), aged (avg: 63 years),

Women (n = 13), aged (avg: 66 years)

Stable (stage 3–4) chronic kidney disease

7/week for 4 weeks

600 × 1 s unilateral (self-selected arm) HG contractions at max effort, separated by 2-s rest

1,680,000

Men: − 2.2 mmHg (grouped change non-sig)

Women: 0 mmHg (grouped change non-sig)

Diastolic BP,

Arterial health and function (brachial and radial resting diameters)

7/15

McGowan et al. [55] Canada

Cohort

Men (n = 8), young (avg: 23 years),

Women (n = 3), young (avg: 39 years)

 

3/week for 8 weeks

4 × 2 min unilateral (non-dom) HG contractions at 30% MVC, separated by 4-min rest

345,600

Men: − 6 mmHg (grouped change sig)

Women: − 3 mmHg (grouped change sig)

Diastolic BP,

Arterial health and function (FMD)

9/15

McGowan et al. [46] Canada

Cohort

Men (n = 12), aged (avg: 63 years)

Medicated hypertensive

3/week for 8 weeks

4 × 2 min unilateral (non-dom, n = 9) or bilateral (n = 7) HG contractions at 30% MVC, separated by 4-min rest

345,600

− 12 mmHg (grouped change sig)

Diastolic BP,

Arterial health and function (FMD)

9/15

Women (n = 4), aged (avg: 68)

− 13 mmHg (grouped change sig)

Millar et al. [47] Canada

Cohort

Men (n = 11), aged (avg: 66 years),

Women (n = 2), aged (avg: 73 years)

Medicated Hypertensive

3/week for 8 weeks

4 × 2 min unilateral (non-dom) HG contractions at 30% MVC, separated by 4-min rest

345,600

Men: − 2 mmHg (grouped change sig)

Women: − 15 mmHg (grouped change sig)

Diastolic BP,

Heart rate,

Autonomic nervous system indicators (HRV)

9/15

Millar et al. [53] Canada

RCT—traditional

Men (n = 14), aged (avg: 68 years),

Women (n = 11), aged (avg: 63 years)

 

3/week for 8 weeks

4 × 2 min bilateral HG contractions at 30–40% MVC, separated by 1-min rest

345,600–460,800

Men: − 7 mmHg (grouped change sig)

Women: − 11 mmHg (grouped change sig)

Diastolic BP

4/15

Pagonas et al. [50] * Germany

RCT—“sham”

Men and women (n = 24), aged (58.8 ± 10.6 years)

Hypertensive

5/week for 12 weeks

4 × 2 min bilateral HG contractions at 30% MVC, separated by 1-min rest

864,000

0 mmHg

Diastolic BP,

Arterial health and function (PWV)

8/15

Men and women (n = 23), aged (62.1 ± 7.1 years)

Hypertensive

5/week for 12 weeks

4 × 2 min bilateral HG contractions at 5% MVC, separated by 1-min rest

144,000

+ 1.4 mmHg (non-sig)

Peters et al. [37] * USA

Cohort

Men (n = 8) and women (n = 2), aged (52 ± 5)

Hypertensive

3/week for 6 weeks

4 × 45 s bilateral HG contractions at 50% MVC, separated by 1-min rest

162,000

− 13 mmHg (sig)

Diastolic BP

3/15

Ray et al. [56] * USA

RCT—traditional

Men and women (n = 9), young (19 to 35 years)

 

4/week for 5 weeks

4 × 3 min unilateral (non-dom) contractions at 30% MVC separated by 5-min rest

432,000

− 3 mmHg (non-sig)

Diastolic BP,

Heart Rate,

Autonomic Nervous System Indicators (MSNA)

6/15

Somani et al. [40] Canada

Cohort

Men (n = 13), young (24 ± 4 years),

Women (n = 13), young 25 ± 5 years

 

3/week for 10 weeks

4 × 2 min bilateral HG contractions at 30% MVC, separated by 1-min rest

432,000

Men: − 5 mmHg (sig)

Women: − 3 mmHg (sig)

Diastolic BP,

Heart rate,

Autonomic nervous system indicators (CV reactivity)

10/15

Stiller-Moldovan et al. [48] * Canada

RCT—traditional

Men (n = 7) and women (n = 3), aged (60 ± 8.5 years)

Medicated hypertensive

3/week for 8 weeks

4 × 2 min bilateral HG contractions at 30–40% MVC, separated by 1-min rest

345,600

− 1.9 mmHg (non-sig)

Diastolic BP,

Heart rate,

Autonomic nervous system indicators (HRV)

10/15

Taylor et al. [43] * Canada

RCT—traditional

Men (n = 5) and women (n = 4), aged (69.3 ± 6 years)

Hypertensive

3/week for 10 weeks

4 × 2 min bilateral HG contractions at 30% MVC, separated by 1-min rest

432,000

− 19 mmHg (sig)

Diastolic BP,

Heart rate,

Autonomic nervous system indicators (HRV)

6/15

Thijssen et al. [58] United Kingdom

Cohort

Men (n = 11), young (22 ± 2 years)

 

4/week for 8 weeks

30 contractions/min bilateral contractions for 30 min at 30% MVC for 4 weeks, 40% MVC for 2 weeks and 50% MVC final 2 weeks

1,080,000

0 mmHg (non-sig)

Diastolic BP,

Heart rate,

Arterial health and function (wall-to-lumen ration)

7/15

Wiley et al. [57] * USA

Cohort

Men or women (n = 8), young (20–35 years)

 

3/week for 8 weeks

4 × 2 min unilateral (dom) contractions at 30% MVC separated by 3-min rest

345,600

− 13 mmHg (sig)

Diastolic BP,

Heart rate

6/15

Men or women (n = 10), young (29 to 52 years)

 

5/week for 5 weeks

4 × 45 s bilateral contractions at 50% MVC, separated by 1-min rest

216,000

− 9.5 mmHg (sig)

  1. MVC maximal volitional contraction
  2. *Unable to acquire raw data to segregate for age and/or sex