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Oxygen uptake to work rate slope in children with a heart, lung or muscle disease

W G Groen1, H J Hulzebos, P J Helders

  • 1UMC Utrecht, Child Development & Exercise Centre, Utrecht, Netherlands.

International Journal of Sports Medicine
|February 17, 2010
PubMed

Insights

The ratio of oxygen consumption change to work rate change (DeltaVO2/DeltaWR) did not depend on physical characteristics in healthy children. This measure may help identify children with specific chronic diseases affecting oxygen utilization.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Exercise Physiology
  • Cardiopulmonary Function
  • Chronic Disease in Children

Background:

  • The relationship between oxygen consumption (VO2) and work rate (WR) during exercise is crucial for assessing cardiopulmonary function.
  • Understanding factors influencing DeltaVO2/DeltaWR in children is important for clinical assessment.
  • Chronic diseases can impact oxygen delivery and utilization, potentially altering exercise responses.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between DeltaVO2/DeltaWR and age, body mass, and height in healthy children.
  • To determine if DeltaVO2/DeltaWR can differentiate between healthy children and those with chronic conditions affecting oxygen transport.
  • To explore the utility of DeltaVO2/DeltaWR in identifying specific types of chronic diseases in pediatric populations.

Main Methods:

  • Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) with respiratory gas analysis was performed on a cycle ergometer.
  • Four groups were studied: healthy children (n=44), Juvenile Dermatomyositis (JDM; n=12), Cystic Fibrosis (CF; n=13), and Congenital Heart Disease (CHD; n=13).
  • DeltaVO2/DeltaWR was calculated using linear regression from unloaded cycling to peak exercise.

Main Results:

  • No significant associations were found between DeltaVO2/DeltaWR and age, body mass, or height in healthy children.
  • DeltaVO2/DeltaWR showed a significant positive correlation with peak oxygen consumption per kilogram (VO2peak/kg) in healthy children.
  • Children with JDM exhibited significantly lower DeltaVO2/DeltaWR compared to healthy controls (p=0.02).
  • A trend towards lower DeltaVO2/DeltaWR was observed in CHD (p=0.09) and higher in CF (p=0.08) compared to healthy children.

Conclusions:

  • DeltaVO2/DeltaWR is independent of basic physical characteristics in healthy children.
  • Fitness level (VO2peak/kg) is associated with DeltaVO2/DeltaWR in pediatric populations.
  • DeltaVO2/DeltaWR may be a sensitive indicator for conditions involving local hypoperfusion, such as JDM, more so than for systemic oxygen delivery impairments seen in CF or CHD.

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