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Aerobic fitness is associated with lower risk of hospitalization in children with cystic fibrosis
Author(s) -
Pérez Margarita,
Groeneveld Iris F.,
SantanaSosa Elena,
FiuzaLuces Carmen,
GonzalezSaiz Laura,
VillaAsensi José R.,
LópezMojares Luis M.,
Rubio Margarita,
Lucia Alejandro
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
pediatric pulmonology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.866
H-Index - 106
eISSN - 1099-0496
pISSN - 8755-6863
DOI - 10.1002/ppul.22878
Subject(s) - medicine , exacerbation , cystic fibrosis , aerobic exercise , vo2 max , anthropometry , vital capacity , hazard ratio , proportional hazards model , pulmonary function testing , pediatrics , lung function , lung , diffusing capacity , confidence interval , heart rate , blood pressure
Summary Background Children with cystic fibrosis (CF) often have to be hospitalized because of acute exacerbation of their respiratory symptoms. Given the fact that improved peak oxygen uptake (VO 2peak ) is positively associated with lung function and overall health in children with CF, this study examined the association between VO 2peak and the need for hospitalization in a cohort of pediatric CF patients. Methods In a 3‐year study, 77 CF children with mild‐to‐moderately severe CF (forced expiratory volume in 1 sec [FEV 1 ] ≥ 50%) underwent a maximal exercise test to determine VO 2peak . Anthropometric, lung function and muscle strength measurements were also conducted and dates of hospitalization were recorded for the study period. Associations were then determined between the variables recorded and hospitalization by univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analyses. Results VO 2peak was 38.6 ± 6.7 ml kg −1 min −1 for boys and 31.9 ± 6.9 ml kg −1 min −1 for girls. In multivariate analyses, VO 2peak was the only variable significantly associated with time to hospitalization (hazard ratio 0.91, P = 0.03). Conclusion A significant association was detected between greater aerobic fitness , and lower risk of hospitalization. Because hospitalization due to respiratory exacerbation is a powerful prognostic factor, our findings provide further support for the importance of aerobic fitness evaluation in the management of children with mild‐to‐moderately severe CF. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2014; 49:641–649. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.